IPS- Unit 1.3 “Bang up Job”
Name:
WHAT DO YOU THINK?

An unfortunate bug collides with the windshield of a car.
Which has the greater force acting on it- the bug or the car?
________________
Why do you think so?
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

In the same situation as above, what has the greater acceleration
the bug or the car?
_______________
Why do you think so?
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
GOALS FOR THIS
ACTIVITY
 Define force
 Identify the forces acting
on an object.
 Determine when the
forces on an object are
either balanced or
unbalanced.
 Compare amounts of
acceleration semiquantitatively.
 Can the same force move
a bowling ball and a ping
pong ball?
 Apply Newton’s Second
Law of motion to
situations in sports
activities.
 Apply the definition of
the Newton as a unit of
force.
FOR YOU TO DO
1. This activity is a challenge. Here is the challenge: To create a collision between two PASCO cars on a
track where the force on one car is different than the force on the other car. For each car, you can
modify the mass, speed and direction (or any other thing that you want to modify- within reason). You
can also choose whether the collision is sticky (the cars stick together after the collision) or bouncy
(they bounce off of each other when they collide).
2. The two cars will be equipped with force sensors that will tell us about the force that acts on that car.
We can then compare the force acting on each car and determine if the force on one car is indeed
greater. If you can get the force on one car to be greater than the force on the other car your group will
receive extra credit! Sounds easy, right?
3. With the members of your group decide on what could make the force on one car larger than the
other. Use the tables below to determine how the cars will collide.
Type of collision, circle one
Sticky
Bouncy
Blue Car
Added mass
Speed
Direction
Other
Choose one for each row
Zero
500 grams
1000 grams
At rest
Fast
Slow
Toward red
Away from red
Red Car
Added mass
Speed
Direction
Other
Choose one for each row
Zero
500 grams
1000 grams
At rest
Fast
Toward blue
Slow
Away from blue
4. Now let’s test the collisions. Your teacher will do the collisions one group at a time on the smart board
so that everyone in the class can see. When your group is called be prepared to tell your teacher how to
configure the cars. Record the results of each group below.
(Now, we are working high school equipment, so it won’t be 100% exact. If it is reasonably close we
should say that they are they same, but if they are significantly far off we should be able to tell which has
the greater force. Also the equipment can’t accurately read force over 40N, so if it is larger than 54N we
should do it over.
Group #
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Was the force on one car greater?
5. Were there any groups that were able to create a collision where the force on one car was greater than
the force on the other car?
________________________________________________________
6. In a head on collision between a huge train and a tricycle, which object gets hit with a bigger force?
______________________________
Explain why using the information we just learned from the lab.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
7. In the previous question, which object has a greater acceleration? Why? (Hint: look back at Unit 1.2Newton’s Second Law.)
______________________________________________________________________________
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8. Create your own collision between two objects, other than cars. Give a full description of how the
collision occurs.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
9. Explain why both objects have the same force acting on them, and which, if either, has a greater
acceleration.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
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10. Read in your conceptual physics book 6.4 and 6.5
Unit 1.3: Bang Up Job Reflection Questions
Remember to use any new vocabulary from this or previous activities!!
1. An unfortunate bug collides with the windshield of a car. Which has the greater force acting on it – the
bug or the car? _______________________________
Why? _________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
2. Which has the greater acceleration, the bug or the car? ______________________
Why? __________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
3. Explain Newton’s 3rd Law in your own words._________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
A large truck which breaks down out on the road and
receives a push back to town by a small compact car.
Which has a greater force acting on it, circle your answer:
4. The car is pushing on the truck, but not hard enough to make the truck move.
The car, The truck, Equal force, Not enough info
5. The car, still pushing the truck, is speeding up to get to cruising speed
speed.
The car, The truck, Equal force, Not enough info
6.
The car, still pushing the truck, is at cruising speed and continues to travel at the same.
The car, The truck, Equal force, Not enough info
7.
The car, still pushing the truck, is at cruising speed when the truck puts on its brakes and causes
the car to slow down.
The car, The truck, Equal force, Not enough info
8. An unfortunate bug collides with the windshield of a car.
Which has the greater force acting on it- the bug or the car? ________________
Why do you think so?______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
9.
In the same situation as above, what has the greater acceleration the bug or the car? ___________
Why do you think so? ______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________