TOPIC: Principles of Flight: Newton's Second Law of Motion
LEVEL: Beginner/Intermediate
"Remote Control Car"
[information |
preparation |
activity ]
- SCIENCE CONCEPT:
- Acceleration is the rate at which a change in velocity
takes place when an external force is applied to an object.
- STUDENT OBJECTIVE:
- To observe changes in acceleration caused by an
external force. To understand acceleration versus deceleration.
Acceleration includes speeding up, slowing
down, stopping.
- OVERVIEW:
- Students will explore acceleration and deceleration with a
remote control car.
- TEACHER TEXT:
- Motion / Newton II
PREPARATION TIME: 0 minutes
LESSON TIME: 10 minutes
TEACHER PREP:
- gather materials
WORDS TO KNOW:
- accelerate
- decelerate
- increase
- decrease
- speed up
- slow down
- stop
- back up
MATERIALS NEEDED:
- Remote control car, airplane, etc. (battery
operated)
- STEPS TO FOLLOW:
- 1. Manipulate the car by increasing and decreasing the power.
- 2. Have the students watch for changes in acceleration.
- WHY?
- Acceleration changes when an external force is applied to an
object. In this case, the force is electrical power.
- ASSESSMENT: Can the student communicate what they observed?
- EXTENSIONS:
- 1. Push balls, cars, etc. to observe changes in acceleration.
- 2. Compare to changes in velocity.