FORCES AND MOTION

We experience forces on a daily basis but when it comes to defining them it can get confusing. Well, it’s actually a really simple concept.
We call a force an interaction that changes the state of motion of an object, it can put an object in motion, accelerate or stop it. We can simply say that a force is a push or a pull upon something resulting from its interaction with another object.

This simulator has four different sections, each one focusing on an aspect of force and its characteristics.
In the first one the students can experiment and learn about net force and the sum of forces with a rope pulling simulation, they can distribute forces and see what a situation of balance or unbalance can lead to. The second section helps the students understand the relationship between applying force on an object with a given weight and the movement it creates. The third one lets them focus on friction and how it stops motion while the last simulation shows acceleration, or what adding force does to motion.

LEARNING GOALS

• Understand the consequences of applied forces on bodies;
• Learn proper nomenclature and units of measure when talking about force’s variables and characteristics;
• Identify when forces are balanced or unbalanced and predict the resulting motion and its direction;
• Determine the sum of forces on an object with multiple applied forces;

LEARNING TIPS

• Create one situation of balanced and one of unbalanced forces. Does the distance of the mannequin affect the force is applies?;
• For each situation change weights and distances on the left to create balance, then do it on the right;
• Design three experiments in the Motion section with different weights and applied forces and write the equation for how these two variables affect the resulting speed of the cart;
• Answer the following questions:
  “What is the effect of friction on motion? What is acceleration created by and what is its effect on motion?