| FORCE
AND MOTION COURSE MATRIX |
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SYNOPSIS |
SCIENCE
CONCEPTS |
PROCESSES |
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5. |
Acceleration
(9 sessions)
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Students
learn to identify and measure changing velocity and calculate
position and velocity from time and acceleration data. They
experience constant velocity and acceleration with their own
movement. They collect and analyze velocity and position data
using mechanical and electronic Dotcars. |
- Acceleration is change of velocity (Δ
) per unit time, measured in units of change of position
(ΔX) per unit of time per unit of time.
- Objects rolling down slopes accelerate; acceleration is
greater on steeper slopes.
- The mass of a rolling car has little effect on its acceleration.
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- Use tools (mechanical and electronic Dotcars) to collect
time and distance data and mathematics to organize and analyze
the data.
- Use equations to calculate acceleration, displacement,
and velocity of rolling objects.
- Identify and interpret graphs of
accelerating motion and constant velocity.
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6. |
Force
(7–8 sessions) |
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Students are introduced to forces and their relationship
to motion. Students use pushers and spring scales to explore
the idea that forces add; the sum is net force. Friction is
introduced as a force opposing motion. Students explore friction
with real-world and simulated force-bench activities..
NOTE: This is a recommended ending point
for grade 6 students.
|
- A force is a push or pull.
- Net force is the sum of all the forces acting on a mass.
- A net force applied to a mass produces acceleration.
- Friction is a force that acts to resist movement.
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- Use tools (pushers, spring scales, and multimedia simulations)
to apply force and investigate friction and motion.
- Analyze illustrations of forces in motion.
- Use multimedia simulations to investigate force and motion.
- Describe change of motion as a result of net force.
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7. |
Gravity
(7 sessions) |
|
Students
learn that gravity is a universal force pulling objects to Earth
with predictable acceleration. They use spring scales to establish
the relationship between force and mass. They explore real and
hypothetical falling objects and replicate one of Galileo’s
experiments. |
- Gravity is a force pulling masses toward each other; the
strength of the force depends on the objects’ masses.
- The force of gravity accelerates objects in free fall
and objects rolling downhill.
- The acceleration produced by the force of gravity is about
10 m/s2 toward Earth.
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- Determine the relationship between mass and the force
of gravity, using spring scales.
- Gather time and displacement data electronically to investigate
the acceleration of gravity.
- Explain gravity as a universal force.
- Discuss Galileo’s discovery of acceleration due
to gravity.
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8. |
Momentum
(8 sessions) |
|
Students
learn to analyze collision interactions in terms of inertia,
momentum, and impulse. Inertia is introduced in demonstrations,
and students use the Dotcar to collect data for analysis. Understanding
Car Crashes, a video, is viewed and discussed. The €nale
is a version of the egg drop called Bean Brains, in which students
apply their knowledge of momentum. |
- Inertia is the property of matter that tends to keep masses
in uniform motion; it resists change of motion.
- Inertia is proportional to mass; large masses have a lot
of inertia.
- Momentum is inertia in motion; it is the product of an
object’s velocity and mass.
- A net force applied to an object can change its momentum.
- An impulse is a force applied for a period of time.
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- Conduct simple investigations to demonstrate inertia of
both stationary and moving masses.
- Use a force scale to determine the force needed to stop
cars traveling at different speeds.
- Use electronic Dotcar data to calculate velocity and momentum.
- Explain how inertia and momentum affect passenger safety
in car crashes.
- Explain and apply the interplay of force and time (impulse)
and momentum in crashes.
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page 6
of 8 |
