Skip to main content
Activity (Hands-On)Grades 5 - 7

Sliding Textbooks

In the culminating activity of the unit, students explore and apply their knowledge of forces, friction, acceleration and gravity in a two-part experiment. First, student groups measure the average acceleration of a textbook pulled along a table by varying weights (with optional extensions, such as with the addition of a pulley or an inclined plane). Then, with a simple modification to the same experimental setup, teams test different surfaces for the effects of friction, graphing and analyzing their results. Students also consider the real-world applications for high- and low-friction surfaces for different situations and purposes, seeing how forces play a role in engineering design and material choices.

Two photographs: Three girls in swimwear push three boys into a pool. A cargo truck speeds down a road.The relationships Newton described in his laws of motion explain how gravitational force, friction and acceleration impact our lives.

Engineers apply their understanding of gravitational force, friction and acceleration to a variety of design problems. These concepts are key to understanding how friction can impact the movement of objects. Similarly, the understanding how a force applied to an object affects its acceleration help students to understand how forces are important in explaining the movement of objects in everyday situations.

Engineers must consider how forces play a role in their designed systems in order to predict and fine tune the movement of objects involved. For example, when engineering a rocket, engineers determine how much force must be applied by the engine in order to accelerate the rocket and overcome gravitational force.

After this activity, students should be able to:

  • Explain the impact of friction on the movement of an object.
  • Compare acceleration of an object acted on by varying amounts of force.

More Like This