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Cycle 1
Year B: Cycle 1
Forces
Study Guide
Natural World
September 14-October 23, 2015
“Gravity cannot be held responsible for people falling in love.” - Albert Einstein
Overview
A force is a push or pull that affects the motion of matter. Based on whether a force is
balanced or unbalanced, it can initiate motion, stop motion, or cause a change in the
direction of motion.
There are four fundamental forces that occur in nature, also known as the universal
forces: gravity, electromagnetism, strong nuclear, and weak nuclear. These forces trace
back fifteen billion years, to the origin of the universe. They were there then and have
been with us ever since.
Gravity, nature’s most familiar force, is the attraction between two separate masses of
matter. The force of gravity operates constantly everywhere in the universe; it never
rests. Gravity is the weakest force of all, many million times weaker than the strong
nuclear force, but without gravity, all things in the universe would not be able to maintain
their place and purpose.
Electromagnetism is a combination of electricity and magnetism. While these are two
intrinsically linked aspects of the same force, electromagnetism binds and holds matter
together. Like gravity, electromagnetism is a familiar force, found everywhere in nature.
Even the simple act of combing your hair creates an electrical charge.
As much as scientists know and understand about forces, there remains a great stretch of
territory to be explored and understood. In laboratories around the world they continue
to research answers to unsolved questions about forces and how they impact the world and
the universe.
_____1. Read the overview with your group. 9/28. The following vocabulary words will be
discussed during your course of study: speed, motion, gravity, velocity, weight,
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circuit, voltage, electric charge, force, inertia, mass, friction, conductor,
insulator, acceleration, and resistance. Begin to study definitions and etymology.
_____2. Personal Project: You will be given an element, by your teacher. Complete the
following steps: Due: 10/7
____a. Build your element (think outside the box, be creative)
____b. Research the element. Include the following ideas in your research and have
a bibliography ready to turn in with the element:
-
atomic number, atomic weight/mass, # of electron rings
-
when it was discovered
-
who discovered it
-
how it is used/where it came from
_____3. Advanced Design a model that demonstrates one of Newton’s Laws OR
electromagnetism. The project must follow these steps:
____a. project idea
____e. develop questions to be answered
____b. project design
____f. build model
____c. materials/procedures list
____g. test model
____d. collect materials
____h.write-up,results (answers to questions)
Guiding Question 1: What are the laws that govern gravitational force and motion?
A force is a push or pull exerted by one object upon another. A force may cause an object
to start moving, stop moving, or change direction. Throwing, lifting, pushing and pulling are
forces you experience every day.
Motion occurs in response to the action of one or more forces. Sometimes forces change
motion, such as when a car brakes for a stop sign. Other times forces prevent motion, as
when a hook holds a picture in place. All of the motion we see in the world around us can
be explained by a few laws.
In the late 1500’s, Galileo Galilei was the first modern scientist to show that objects fall
(or accelerate) at the same rate. Objects fall at uniformly increasing speed of 9.8
meters/second2 (32 feet/second2). This is “g”, acceleration due to gravity.
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English scientist Sir Isaac Newton was the first person to clearly see how forces and
motion were related. Newton summarized his observations into three laws that we will
study. In honor of his work, the unit used to measure force is called a Newton.
Newton also hypothesized about gravity. He thought that the force that holds you on
Earth is the same force that keeps the moon orbiting Earth and the planets orbiting the
sun. Newton’s hypothesis was tested many times; it led to the discovery of the universal
law of gravitation. This law states that the amount of gravitational force between two
objects depends on two things: (1) the masses of the objects and (2) the distance between
them.
_____5. Participate in the lesson on gravity, force, and Newton’s Three Laws. Monday,
September 28
_____6. IW Read Science Explorer: Motion, Forces, and Energy, The Nature of Forces pp.
36-39 and take notes on a graphic organizer. Due 9/30
_____7. In your small group, read two of the following sections of Science Explorer:
Motion, Forces, and Energy and complete one the lab activities. Make a presentation
of the reading, complete the lab write up and present all relevant information to
class. Due: 10/2
a. Describing and Measuring Motion pp. 6-15; Inclined to Roll activity pp. 16-17
b. Slow Motion on Planet Earth and Acceleration pp 18 - 27; Stopping on a Dime activity
pp. 28 - 29
c. Friction and Gravity pp.42 – 50; Sticky Sneakers activity pp. 40 – 41
d. Newton’s First and Second Laws and Newton’s Third Law pp. 51 - 61; Forced to
Accelerate activity pp. 62-63
____8. Reflect on the answer to the guiding question by updating your Forces Graphic
Organizer.
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Guiding Question 2: What are the laws that govern electromagnetic forces?
Electricity and magnetism are two aspects of the same force. Eighteenth-century
researchers like Alessandro Volta and Andre Marie Ampere studied electrical and
magnetic phenomena in the laboratory, doing hundreds of experiments using the scientific
method. They never dreamed electricity might someday transform society. Today, we
would say they were doing basic research. The results of their experiments were
summarized in laws. A Scottish physicist, James Clerk Maxwell, brought these laws
together in 1861. Maxwell’s four laws play the same role in electromagnetism that Newton’s
laws do for motion and gravity; they summarize everything there is to know on the subject.
_____ 9. Participate in the lesson on electricity, magnetism, and electromagnetic force.
Monday, October 5
_____10. IW Read and take notes on pages 6-10 and 80-89 of Science Explorer:
Electricity and Magnetism.
_____11. As a class complete a) and in your small group two other activities. To do this
read the following sections of Science Explorer: Electricity and Magnetism and complete
one the lab activities. Make a presentation of the reading, complete the lab write up and
present all relevant information to the class. Due: 10/9
a. Building a Galvanometer
b. Inside a Magnet and Magnetic Earth, pp. 14 – 19; Design and Build a Magnetic Paper
Clip Holder, pp. 20-21.
c. Electric Current, pp. 44 – 51; Constructing a Dimmer Switch, pp. 52-53.
d. Electric Charge and Static Electricity, pp. 34 - 41; Versorium activity, pp. 42-43.
e. Electricity, Magnetism, and Motion, pp. 85 - 89; Building an Electric Motor-92-93
____12.Reflect on the answer to the guiding question by updating your electromagnetism
graphic organizer.
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Synthesis: Putting it all together.
____13. Project: After watching the Honda Cog video (as a class), using different kinds of
Newton’s Three Laws, and electromagnetism; design a Rube Goldberg device that will pop a
balloon. Rube Goldberg was a cartoonist who specialized in drawing absurdly connected
machines. Your Rube Goldberg device must have at least six steps (forces) before it pops
the balloon. (as a class- 10/13)
____14. Take the vocabulary test.
Friday, October 9
____15. Take the etymology test.
Friday, October 9
____16. Review for the test and update all graphic organizers. Organize and compile all
your work together.
____18. Theme test
Wednesday October 14th
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