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This MEA is about space exploration. Students will review data on six extrasolar planets and determine which one would be most feasible to explore first.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

The objective of this lesson is to illustrate how a common everyday experience (such as playing pool) can often provide a learning moment. In the example chosen, we use the game of pool to help explain some key concepts of physics. One of these concepts is the conservation of linear momentum since conservation laws play an extremely important role in many aspects of physics. The idea that a certain property of a system is maintained before and after something happens is quite central to many principles in physics and in the pool example, we concentrate on the conservation of linear momentum. The latter half of the video looks at angular momentum and friction, examining why certain objects roll, as opposed to slide. We do this by looking at how striking a ball with a cue stick at different locations produces different effects.

Though not required, students who have been exposed to some physics would benefit most from this video. In mathematically rigorous classes, students can concentrate on the details of vectors and conservation of linear momentum.

Type: Lesson Plan

In this lesson, we learn how insects can fly in the rain. The objective is to calculate the impact forces of raindrops on flying mosquitoes. Students will gain experience with using Newton's laws, gathering data from videos and graphs, and most importantly, the utility of making approximations. No calculus will be used in this lesson, but familiarity with torque and force balances is suggested. No calculators will be needed, but students should have pencil and paper to make estimations and, if possible, copies of the graphs provided with the lesson. Between lessons, students are recommended to discuss the assignments with their neighbors.

Type: Lesson Plan

Learn to calculate the gravitational force on an object or its acceleration due to gravity using Newton's law of universal gravitation in this interactive science tutorial.

This is part 2 in a two-part series. Click HERE to open Part 1.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Follow Isaac Newton's journey from watching the apple fall to explaining the motion of the Moon by deriving the law of universal gravitation in this interactive science tutorial.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Would a brick or feather fall faster? What would fall faster on the moon?

Type: Tutorial

The present activity will help the students understand the centrifugal force which is an outward force experienced by an object travelling in a circle. Students will recognize that this force depends on the mass of the object, the speed of rotation, and the distance from the center. It is important to make the students understand that centrifugal force does not actually exit, it appears quite real to the object being rotated and students can understand this concept while playing with the virtual manipulative.

Type: Virtual Manipulative

This virtual manipulative will allow you to visualize the gravitational force that two objects exert on each other. By changing the properties of the objects, you can see how the gravitational force changes.
Some areas to explore:

• Relate gravitational force to masses of objects and distance between objects.
• Explain Newton's third law for gravitational forces.
• Design experiments that allow you to derive an equation that related mass, distance, and gravitational force.
• Use measurements to determine the universal gravitational constant.

Type: Virtual Manipulative