Exploring Inertia
Kim Trinkle, NSF GK-12 Fellow, Coastal Carolina University, 2012-2013
Activities Adapted From:< http://www.helium.com/items/1632107-science-experiments-for-kids>
<http://www.brighthubeducation.com/middle-school-science-lessons/35939-newtonsfirst-law-of-motion-science-lesson-plan/)>
SC Science Standard 8-5: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the effects of forces on
the motion of an object
Indicator 8-5.6: Summarize and illustrate the concept of inertia
Materials
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Station 1
o Tennis ball
o Target on paper to tape to floor (or you can make the target with masking tape)
Station 2
o Rope
Station 3
o Toy car
o Toy action figure
o Text book
o Masking tape
Station 4
o Egg (OR, you can use a ping-pong ball…eggs can get messy, make sure you have extra!)
o Toilet paper or paper towel (empty) roll
o Aluminum Pie plate
o Large beaker (preferably plastic) (filled with water if working with eggs, if not, optional)
Station 5
o Six nickels or pennies
o Paper clip
o Notecard
Station “signs”/directions to print off and put at each station location (attached)
Note: I gave my students 5 minutes per station. This was more than enough time for them to see what
they were supposed to see at each station and helped keep them focused. This also left time for a
discussion on the student’s observations and what inertia is at the end of the lesson. I started by using
stations 2 and 3 to help define inertia for the students, since they were pretty basic stations and closer
to “real life” than some of the others.
Pre-MacMod
(1) Tommy places a smooth plastic square on top of a plastic cup. Next he places a nickel in the
center of the plastic square. Finally Tommy quickly tugs on one side of the plastic square.
(Assume that there is no friction or rubbing between the square piece of plastic, nickel and plastic
cup).
The most likely result is the nickel will
(a) move in the same direction the plastic square is pulled.
(b) stay in place and then fall into the plastic cup.
(c) There is no way to predict what will happen.
(2) Explain why you selected your answer choice.
(3) If possible explain how the following terms relate to the nickel and cup demonstration: (a) force,
(b) motion, and (c) inertia.
Inertia Station 1: Tennis Ball Drop Directions
1. With the tennis ball in your hand, run past the target
on the floor. Drop (Don’t Throw!!) the tennis ball as
you run past the target to try and get it to land on
the target. Don’t stop running as you drop the ball.
2. Repeat step 1, but walk quickly instead of running.
3. Repeat step 1, but walk slowly instead running.
4. For all three steps, have other group members
observe the direction and motion of the tennis ball.
5. Fill out the observations/questions on your
worksheet.
Inertia Station 2: “Tug of war” Directions
1. Have two group members hold opposite ends of the
rope.
2. Have both people holding the rope pull on it so that
the rope is taught.
3. Have one person release their grip on the rope.
4. Fill out the observations/questions on your
worksheet.
Inertia Station 3: “Wear Your Seatbelt!” Directions
1. Start off with the toy car at rest at the starting line
(the masking tape marked “start”). Put the action
figure in the car if it’s not in there already.
2. Put one lab book at the end line (the masking tape
marked “end”).
3. Give the car a big push towards the textbook, so
that it hits the textbook.
4. Fill out the observations/questions on your
worksheet.
Inertia Station 4: Egg Drop
1. Position the egg, paper towel roll, pie plate, and
beaker so that it looks like the picture below:
EGG
PAPER TOWEL ROLL
PIE PLATE
BEAKER
2. Hit the pie plate with a quick, forceful motion (like a
karate chop).
3. Observe what happens to the pie plate, the egg, and
the paper towel roll.
4. Fill out the observations/questions on your
worksheet.
Inertia Station 5: Coin Stack
1. Stack five of the nickels one on top of one another.
2. See if you can knock the bottom coin out from the
stack without toppling the stack using the materials at
your lab table.
3. Fill out the observations/questions on your
worksheet.
Inertia Observations and Questions
Station 1: Tennis Ball Drop
1. What direction did the tennis ball move when you dropped it during step 1? Draw a
picture below showing the direction of you and the tennis ball as it was falling in relation
to the target. Use arrows to show the direction of motion.
2. Did the tennis ball fall straight down or at an angle?
3. Did the direction or speed of the tennis ball change when you changed your speed?
How?
4. Why was it so difficult to hit the target with the tennis ball, especially when you were
running?
Station 2: Tug of War
1. During step 2, was either person moving?
2. Draw a picture showing the direction of the force each person put on the rope. What
was the net force on the rope?
3. What happened to the person still holding the rope when the other person let go?
Station 3: Wear Your Seatbelt!
1. Draw a picture showing the direction the car and the action figure are moving when the
car is moving. Include the car, action figure, and book in your diagram. Use arrows to
show direction of movement.
2. Draw a picture showing the direction of motion of the car and the action figure when
the car hit the book. Use arrows to show direction of movement. Include the car, action
figure, and book in your diagram.
3. Why did the car stop but the passenger keep going?
4. What force(s) eventually stopped the passenger (action figure)?
5. Use the information you got from this activity to explain why you should always wear a
seatbelt while riding in the car.
Station 4: Egg Drop
1. What happened to the egg after you hit the pie plate? Was this what you were
expecting?
2. Draw a diagram of the lab setup: Include the egg, the paper towel roll, the pie plate, and
the beaker. Draw arrows showing the forces acting on the egg, the paper towel roll, and
the pie plate BEFORE you hit the pie plate.
3. Draw a diagram of the lab setup: Include the egg, the paper towel roll, the pie plate, and
the beaker. Draw arrows showing the forces acting on the egg, the paper towel roll, and
the pie plate when you hit the pie plate.
Station 5: Coin Flip
1. Were you able to get the bottom coin out from under the stack without toppling it?
How?
2. Why do you think the whole stack didn’t topple over?
3. Did you have any attempts where you were unsuccessful? What was different about
your successful and unsuccessful attempts?
Post-MacMod
(1) Mr. Jones is an 8th grade science teacher who is attempting to pull a smooth slick tablecloth out
from under a plate, cup and saucer. He quickly tugs on the tablecloth. (Assume that there is no
friction or rubbing between the table cloth, table, bowl or cup and saucer).
The most likely result is
a. The plate and the cup and saucer will move in the direction the table cloth is pulled and
fall on the floor.
b. The table cloth will move but the plate and the cup and saucer will stay on the table.
c. There is no way to predict what will happen.
(2) Explain why you selected your answer choice.
(3) If possible explain how the following terms relate to table cloth demonstration: (a) force, (b)
motion, and (c) inertia.