How Surfaces Affect Motion
Water slides (Michal Jarmoluk, Pixabay)
Water slides (Michal Jarmoluk, Pixabay)
How does this align with my curriculum?
Will it slide or stick? Students conduct a fair test to investigate how different solid surfaces affect the movement of an object on a ramp.
Overview
Students use the skills of predicting and planning a fair test to investigate how different solid surfaces affect the movement of an object on a ramp.
Timing
30-45 minutes
Setting the Stage
Imagine your world without any friction. You sit on a chair and you slide right off. You try to stand up and your feet cannot grip the floor to push yourself up. Or, you pedal your bike and the wheels spin wildly with no effort, but the bike goes nowhere because the tires will not grab the ground to pull you forward.
Friction is the force that resists motion – it slows down or altogether stops motion. Friction is caused when two objects rub against each other. Friction happens when two solid materials rub together, but it also happens when different forms of matter move past each other (e.g., a solid moving through a fluid such as air or water creates air resistance or water resistance).
In this inquiry, students use the skills of predicting and planning a fair test to investigate how different solid surfaces affect the movement of an object on a ramp. By identifying, analyzing and interpreting patterns in the data they collect, students discover that friction, an invisible force, both helps and hinders things we do in our day to day lives.
This inquiry could begin from:
- students comparing how it feels to rub their hands together vigorously with and without a common lubricant (sliding friction). Note: Prior to doing this activity with students, check for sensitivities to smell and/or skin allergies. Discuss using questions such as:
- “What happens when we rub our hands together?”
- “What did you notice when we added some olive oil (or unscented hand lotion) to our hands?”
- “What are some jobs, tasks or activities where you might want your hands to be better at gripping? What things can you do to improve the grip of your hands?” (e.g., in order to get a better grip on the apparatus, gymnasts wear special gloves and/or use chalk dust to coat their hands)
- showing a picture of snowy, icy streets in winter. Discuss using questions such as:
- “Why is it harder and more dangerous to walk in winter?”
- “What can help make it easier and safer?”
- “How does friction help or hinder us in situations like these?” (e.g., wax on skis, brakes on cars and bikes, rubber treads on shoes, grippers on pencils and pens.)
- reading a book such as And Everyone Shouted, "Pull!": A First Look at Forces and Motion by Claire Llewellyn or Oscar and the Cricket: A Book About Moving and Rolling by Geoff Waring. Discuss using questions such as:
- “What are some of the problems faced by the characters in the story?”
- “How did the characters in the book solve their problems?”
- “How was friction involved in causing their problems or creating solutions?”
Details
- ramp (e.g., wood, cardboard, cookie sheet, plastic cardboard, a piece of plastic eavestrough) – 1 per group
- selection of materials with various textures and surfaces (e.g., sandpaper, aluminum foil, carpet, paper, artificial turf or grass, soil, linoleum, corduroy, flannel) – 1 set per group
- plastic domino, toy car, or toy train to travel down the ramp – 1 per group
- This inquiry can be done as part of Design and Build a Marble Run as students discover ways to make their marble go faster/slower/stop.
- You may wish to read the Setting up a Fair Test and/or Identifying Variables Science Processes backgrounders available on Tomatosphere™.
Students use an Inquiry Journal or Inquiry Summary learning strategy to develop and apply the skills of Predicting, Planning and Analyzing & Interpreting results as they learn about the properties of materials that affect the movement of an object.
Students:
- compare and contrast the different surface materials available using their senses.
- predict how each of the materials will change the motion
- devise and record a plan for conducting a fair test of materials for their ability to slow down/stop a sliding object (e.g., domino) or rolling object (e.g., toy car).
- record observations and compare the results with their predictions.
- analyze and interpret the results of the fair test to draw conclusions about the properties of materials and friction.
Observe and document, using anecdotal comments, photos and/or video recordings, students’ ability to:
- Predict - students use their prior knowledge and skills of comparing and contrasting to predict which materials and variables are most likely to change the motion of an object.
- Plan a Process to conduct a fair test - students generate a plan and carry out a controlled experiment/fair test where they keep everything constant (e.g., the tilt of the ramp, the type of car, the starting point on the ramp), have one dependent variable (e.g., the type of ramp materials) and manage data (e.g., use a chart for observations made).
- Analyze and Interpret - students look for patterns in the results and attempt to explain the patterns they have observed.
| Students: Saying, Doing, Representing |
Educator: Interactions: Responding, Challenging |
|---|---|
| Use their senses to compare & contrast the different materials available. |
|
| Predict which materials will change the motion. |
|
| Devise and record a plan for conducting a fair test of materials, working collaboratively to compare how the test materials affect the motion of the object on the ramp. |
|
| Analyze and interpret the results of their fair test and compare results with their predictions. |
|
| Analyze and interpret the results of the fair test to draw conclusions about the properties of materials and friction. |
|
Literacy
- use planning skills (e.g., generating ideas, gathering and organizing information)
- make connections (e.g., between prior knowledge of materials and new context)
- recognize and use organizational patterns in texts (e.g., put in proper sequence the steps needed to conduct a fair test)
Mathematical Thinking
- measure and describe the passage of time (e.g., the time in seconds it takes objects to slide down the ramp) and length (e.g., measure the height of the ramp(s) in centimetres to ensure fair testing)
Physical Education
- develop and apply effort awareness (e.g., explore the impact of friction on body movements in various sports activities such as running on different surfaces, playing games on different surfaces; identify examples of friction in action during games and activities)
- develop awareness of the benefits of technological innovations with regard to personal safety, injury prevention and performance:
- e.g., compare materials and technical innovations in sports equipment or sports clothing to reduce or increase friction; examples include racket grips, running cleats, ski wax, no-wax skis, roller skate brakes, shoe grippers and slippers for curling, curling brooms, clap skates for speed skating, Fastskin™ swimsuit material, full-body swimsuits, bodysuits for speed skating and luges
Music
- create compositions for a specific purpose and audience (e.g., create a friction soundscape using different techniques and surfaces in the classroom such as rubbing hands across different textured surface or rubbing surfaces of two objects together to make sounds)
- How does the length of the ramp change the motion of the object? Conduct a fair test using ramps of different lengths and the same variety of different surfaces (e.g., wood, carpet, grass, cement, dirt) to see how the length of the ramp affects the movement of the object.
- How does the weight of an object affect its motion? Conduct a fair test using objects of different masses (e.g., big marble, small marble, bigger toy car, etc.) with the same set-up and variety of surfaces to explore how the mass of an object affects its movement.
- How does the height of the ramp affect motion of an object? Conduct a fair test using ramps of different heights/angles using a similar set-up and variety of surfaces.
And Everyone Shouted "Pull": A First Look at Forces and Motion
by Claire Llewellyn
Learn about forces and motion as you join the farm animals on their trip to the market. The wheels on their cart help when they push, pull and stop on their journey.
ISBN: 9781404806566
Oscar and the Cricket
By Geoff Waring
One day Oscar sees a ball in the grass. "Try pushing it!" says Cricket. Oscar learns that the ball rolls slowly in grass and faster on a path, until it bounces off a tree and changes direction. Some things need a push to move, and others use their muscles to move themselves — and to move plenty of other things, too.
ISBN 9780763640293
Push and Pull (Lesson Plan)
What is a force? Students compare the forces involved in familiar everyday activities such as pushing a swing, propelling a skateboard forward, or pulling a wagon and the forces of push and pull.
Design & Build a Non-slip Boot Tread (Lesson Plan)
Students work collaboratively to design and build a boot tread that will use friction to prevent slipping on an incline.
Design & Build a Toy that Moves (Lesson Plan)
Students will work collaboratively to design and build a toy that is moved using forces applied by magnets.
Materials
- ramp (e.g., wood, cardboard, cookie sheet, plastic cardboard, a piece of plastic eavestrough) – 1 per group
- selection of materials with various textures and surfaces (e.g., sandpaper, aluminum foil, carpet, paper, artificial turf or grass, soil, linoleum, corduroy, flannel) – 1 set per group
- plastic domino, toy car, or toy train to travel down the ramp – 1 per group
Preparation
- This inquiry can be done as part of Design and Build a Marble Run as students discover ways to make their marble go faster/slower/stop.
- You may wish to read the Setting up a Fair Test and/or Identifying Variables Science Processes backgrounders available on Tomatosphere™.
What to Do
Students use an Inquiry Journal or Inquiry Summary learning strategy to develop and apply the skills of Predicting, Planning and Analyzing & Interpreting results as they learn about the properties of materials that affect the movement of an object.
Students:
- compare and contrast the different surface materials available using their senses.
- predict how each of the materials will change the motion
- devise and record a plan for conducting a fair test of materials for their ability to slow down/stop a sliding object (e.g., domino) or rolling object (e.g., toy car).
- record observations and compare the results with their predictions.
- analyze and interpret the results of the fair test to draw conclusions about the properties of materials and friction.
Assessment
Observe and document, using anecdotal comments, photos and/or video recordings, students’ ability to:
- Predict - students use their prior knowledge and skills of comparing and contrasting to predict which materials and variables are most likely to change the motion of an object.
- Plan a Process to conduct a fair test - students generate a plan and carry out a controlled experiment/fair test where they keep everything constant (e.g., the tilt of the ramp, the type of car, the starting point on the ramp), have one dependent variable (e.g., the type of ramp materials) and manage data (e.g., use a chart for observations made).
- Analyze and Interpret - students look for patterns in the results and attempt to explain the patterns they have observed.
Co-constructed Learning
| Students: Saying, Doing, Representing |
Educator: Interactions: Responding, Challenging |
|---|---|
| Use their senses to compare & contrast the different materials available. |
|
| Predict which materials will change the motion. |
|
| Devise and record a plan for conducting a fair test of materials, working collaboratively to compare how the test materials affect the motion of the object on the ramp. |
|
| Analyze and interpret the results of their fair test and compare results with their predictions. |
|
| Analyze and interpret the results of the fair test to draw conclusions about the properties of materials and friction. |
|
Cross-curricular Connections
Literacy
- use planning skills (e.g., generating ideas, gathering and organizing information)
- make connections (e.g., between prior knowledge of materials and new context)
- recognize and use organizational patterns in texts (e.g., put in proper sequence the steps needed to conduct a fair test)
Mathematical Thinking
- measure and describe the passage of time (e.g., the time in seconds it takes objects to slide down the ramp) and length (e.g., measure the height of the ramp(s) in centimetres to ensure fair testing)
Physical Education
- develop and apply effort awareness (e.g., explore the impact of friction on body movements in various sports activities such as running on different surfaces, playing games on different surfaces; identify examples of friction in action during games and activities)
- develop awareness of the benefits of technological innovations with regard to personal safety, injury prevention and performance:
- e.g., compare materials and technical innovations in sports equipment or sports clothing to reduce or increase friction; examples include racket grips, running cleats, ski wax, no-wax skis, roller skate brakes, shoe grippers and slippers for curling, curling brooms, clap skates for speed skating, Fastskin™ swimsuit material, full-body swimsuits, bodysuits for speed skating and luges
Music
- create compositions for a specific purpose and audience (e.g., create a friction soundscape using different techniques and surfaces in the classroom such as rubbing hands across different textured surface or rubbing surfaces of two objects together to make sounds)
Extending the Learning
- How does the length of the ramp change the motion of the object? Conduct a fair test using ramps of different lengths and the same variety of different surfaces (e.g., wood, carpet, grass, cement, dirt) to see how the length of the ramp affects the movement of the object.
- How does the weight of an object affect its motion? Conduct a fair test using objects of different masses (e.g., big marble, small marble, bigger toy car, etc.) with the same set-up and variety of surfaces to explore how the mass of an object affects its movement.
- How does the height of the ramp affect motion of an object? Conduct a fair test using ramps of different heights/angles using a similar set-up and variety of surfaces.
Supporting Media
And Everyone Shouted "Pull": A First Look at Forces and Motion
by Claire Llewellyn
Learn about forces and motion as you join the farm animals on their trip to the market. The wheels on their cart help when they push, pull and stop on their journey.
ISBN: 9781404806566
Oscar and the Cricket
By Geoff Waring
One day Oscar sees a ball in the grass. "Try pushing it!" says Cricket. Oscar learns that the ball rolls slowly in grass and faster on a path, until it bounces off a tree and changes direction. Some things need a push to move, and others use their muscles to move themselves — and to move plenty of other things, too.
ISBN 9780763640293
Learn More
Push and Pull (Lesson Plan)
What is a force? Students compare the forces involved in familiar everyday activities such as pushing a swing, propelling a skateboard forward, or pulling a wagon and the forces of push and pull.
Design & Build a Non-slip Boot Tread (Lesson Plan)
Students work collaboratively to design and build a boot tread that will use friction to prevent slipping on an incline.
Design & Build a Toy that Moves (Lesson Plan)
Students will work collaboratively to design and build a toy that is moved using forces applied by magnets.