Newton’s Laws Olympics Name __________________

Period ___ Date _________

Station #1: Shooting hoops

Student Instructions
Play a quiet game of PIG—a shortened version of the basketball game HORSE. No slam-
dunking!
After your game, answer each of the following:
1. Write down the formula for Newton’s second law of motion.
2. How was it applied in your game?
3. Every time you shoot the basketball, what does the basketball become? (Hint: This
science term
is defined as “an object that is launched into the air and continues in motion by its own
inertia.”)

Station #2: Standing long jump

Student Instructions
Standing behind the masking tape line, make your best jump. Have teammates measure
your
distance in metric. Each group member should jump two times; record the results of
each attempt.
Mark each jump with a different color of chalk. After all of your group members have
jumped,
answer the following:
1. What law of motion allowed you to move through the air?
2. What is the name of the tendency for your body to stay “in motion” through the air?
3. What force brought you back down?
4. Although this is the standing long jump, did you want to get a running start? Why?
5. By the way, who is your group champion?

Station #3: Cork on yarn

Student Instructions
Sit on the floor. Put on your goggles.
Thread the yarn through the cork. Securely
tie one end of the yarn around the cork.
Pick up the empty end of the yarn and, with
the cork suspended below your hand, twirl
it at a medium speed. Watching closely, let
go of the yarn. Repeat this procedure two
more times, then answer the following:
1. What happened when you let go of the
yarn? Why? Explain in laws of motion.
2. Why did you perform this experiment
three times?
3. A cork whirling on a string is kept moving
in a circle by force. What track and field
event is based on this force?
4. What other sporting events take this force
into consideration when designing their
tracks and skills used?
5. What is providing the force that pushes
the cork out of its straight-line path?

Station #4: Balloons

Student instructions
Blow up a balloon and hold it closed with your fingers. One
person at a time, choose a direction to point the end of your
balloon; count to three; and then release the balloon. Carefully
observe what happens. Allow each group member to release
his or her balloon and then answer the following:
1. In which directions did the balloons go?
2. How did the direction of motion compare to the
direction in which the air rushed out of the balloon?
3. What specific law of motion does this station
demonstrate? What part is the action? What part is the
reaction?
4. What type of vehicle uses the same law? In this case,
what is the action and what is the reaction?
5. What type of weapon uses the same law? In this case,
what is the action and what is the reaction?

Station #5: Magic

Student instructions
Place the piece of cardboard over the top of a glass of water. Place the coin in the
center of the
cardboard. Quickly try to pull the cardboard out from under the coin. Let each group
member try
this two times and then answer the following:
1. What happened?
2. What does the coin tend to do most often?
3. What do scientists call the tendency to resist change in motion? To which of
Newton's laws
does this apply?
4. What famous trick uses this law of inertia? (Hint: Comedians usually try it
unsuccessfully,
which creates clatter and mess.)

Station #6: Record player

Student instructions
Long before the days of CD or DVD players, people listened to music on record players,
like the
one in front of you now. The large circular part located in the middle is called the
turntable. For
this activity, you do not need to turn on the record player. Instead, walk your fingers
around the
rim of the turntable, making the turntable move as you go. Carefully observe the
resulting effect
between your fingers and the turntable. Allow each group member to repeat this
procedure and
then answer the following:
1. What happened?
2. Which of Newton's laws explains what happened?
3. Imagine that you are in a canoe in the middle of a lagoon. Your canoe is loaded with
coconuts. You have lost your paddle, but you don't dare use your hands for paddles
because
of the crocodiles in the lagoon. How could you get to shore?

Station #7: Ramp building

Student instructions
Part one
Place the two wooden blocks on top of one another, then create a ramp by placing the
board on
top of the stacked blocks. Stand the foam board on end approximately 36 cm from the
bottom of
the ramp. Before you do anything else, answer the following:
1. In a moment, you will release one of the two vehicles from the top of the ramp. What
will
happen to the foam board when this vehicle hits it?
2. Will the same result occur when you release the other vehicle?
3. What will cause the difference?
Use the spring scale to confirm the difference in mass of the two vehicles. Which
vehicle will
produce more force just by its size?
Now, release the two vehicles, one at a time. Repeat this procedure two times with
each vehicle
and answer the following:
4. Was your prediction correct?
5. What was the variable in this in this experiment?
Part two
Next, change the height of the ramp by removing one block. Place the foam board 36
cm away
again. Place the vehicle with more mass at the top of the ramp and release it. Repeat
this
procedure two times and answer the following:
1. What happened?
2. When you changed the height of the ramp what were you changing?
Now set the ramp on three wooden blocks and two more trials with the same vehicle.
Answer the
following:
3. What happened?
4. What formula have you been working with at this station?
5. Which of Newton's laws explains what happened?
6. What was the variable in this part of the experiment?