Download 1st law lab

FALLING PENNY
Sir Isaac Newton is a British scientist who was able to describe the effects of forces on the motion of
objects. The rules are known as Newton’s laws of motion. These rules apply to all objects that you
encounter every day. His first law states that an object moving at a constant velocity keeps moving at
that velocity unless an unbalanced force acts on it and if an object is at rest, it stays at rest unless an
unbalanced force acts on it. His first law is sometimes referred to as the law of inertia. Inertia is the
tendency to resist any change in its motion.
Objective:
To take a look at Newton’s first law in action
Materials:
1-3x5 note card
1-penny
1-cup
Procedure:
1. Place the 3x5 note card on top of the cup.
2. Put the penny on the center of the card.
3. Flick the card horizontally with your fingers. Do NOT hold the cup with the other hand.
4. Repeat 2 more times.
5. After you flick the card, now pull the card with your fingers 3 times. Again, not holding the cup
with your other hand.
Observations:
Flick or Pull
Observations
Analysis/Conclusion:
1. What happens to the coin?
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2. Did you see a difference in your results between flicking and pulling the card? Explain your
answer.
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3. Explain what happened to the coin using Newton’s first law.
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