Name_ Date_11/12/20 Per 1
PhET: Forces and Motion Basics
Link to sim: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/forces-and-motion-basics
Open the simulation and press the arrow to start.
Newton's 1st Law is als
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Name_ Date_11/12/20 Per 1
PhET: Forces and Motion Basics
Link to sim: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/forces-and-motion-basics
Open the simulation and press the arrow to start.
Newton's 1st Law is also known as the Law of Inertia. It says that objects will stay still or keep moving in the same direction and same speed until they're acted upon by an unbalanced force.
Newton's 2nd Law tells us that the more force is applied to an object the faster it will accelerate. It also tells us that objects with a greater mass need a greater force to be applied in order to accelerate them.
Acceleration is any change in motion. This means speeding up (this includes starting to move), slowing down (including stopping), or changing direction.
Part 1: The “Motion” tab
● Click on the “Motion” option.
● Check the boxes for “Values”, “Masses”, and “Speed” (“Force” should already be checked)
● Use the arrows at the bottom to slowly increase the amount of force applied to the box until the box starts moving.
1. How much force does it take to start moving the 50 kg box?
2. Why do you need to apply a force in order to get the box to move?
3. How much force do you need to apply in order to stop the box?
4. Which of Newton's Laws does this demonstrate?
5. How does it demonstrate that law?
● Fill in the chart below, adding your own mix in the final row.
Object Total mass Force needed to get it moving at 5 m/s
Box
Box with Girl
Box with Man
Box with Garbage Can
Fridge
6. What is the pattern you see between the total mass and the force needed to accelerate to 5 m/s?
7. Which of Newton's Laws does this demonstrate?
8. How does it demonstrate that law?
Part 2: The “Net Force” tab
● Click on the “Net Force” option at the bottom of your screen.
○
● Check the boxes for “Some of Forces”, “Values”, and “Speed”
● Fill in the chart below, adding your own mix in the final row. Be sure to fill out your prediction before you press “Go!”
People & Placement Predicted Movement Sum of Forces (0, x-left, x-right) Actual Movement (none, left, right) Speed (m/s)
Same size
Same placement
People & Placement Predicted Movement Sum of Forces (0, x-left, x-right) Actual Movement (none, left, right) Speed (m/s)
Same size Different placement The simulation will have a movement towards the left as it’s close to the object at rest more than the right.
Different size Same placement The simulation will have a movement towards the left as it weighs
more than the
right.
Different size Different placement The simulation will have a movement towards the left as it weighs more than the
right.
9. Your science class is going to play a game of tug-of-war and you need to divide up the teams. There are 11 people participating. If you want equal teams, how would you decide who is on which side and why? Use what you have learned about Newton's Laws of motions to explain.
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