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Newtons Three Laws

Explore Newtons 3 Laws of Motion

This Force and Motion MatchCard explores Newtons three laws of motion for kids
in 3rd to 8th grade.

matchcard

Newtons Three Laws of Motion

Objective: Explain Newtons Three Laws of Motion and give examples.

MatchCard: Download below.

Preliminary Activity

Sports and games with balls are a practical way to study Newtons 3 laws of motion. Before using the MatchCard, let the students play a game of marbles.

How to Play Marbles

Here's a simple and common game of marbles. Draw a circle on the floor or in the dirt. Have an odd number of marbles randomly spread around the circle. Each player has one shooter (large) marble. The first player starts with his/her marble outside of the circle, and "shoots" the shooter by propelling it with the thumb towards a marble. When players send one of the regular marbles out of the circle, they get to keep that marble, and take another turn. Their turn ends when their shooter does not send a marble out of the circle. The winenr is the person with the most marbles.

Allow the students to play the game as an introduction to the laws of motion. After the first several turns, start using the word "force" and "acceleration" as they play.

Alternatives to marbles might include:

Pool
Air hockey
Croquet

After the game is over, tell the student's the Newtons 3 laws of motion will help explain the movement of the balls in the game.

1st Law - Law of Inertia

The first of Newtons three laws is the law of inertia.

An object will continue in its direction and velocity unless it is acted on by an outside force.

Because of inertia, unmoving marbles stayed at rest until they were hit by another marble. At the same time, marbles that were moving in one direction continued to do so until a force acted upon it that either stopped the motion or changed the direction.

Note: Friction from the surface of the floor and air acted as a force as well as obstacles the marble hit.

Brainstorm other examples of inertia - particularly in sports, games, or hobbies.

Learn more about inertia and friction with this MatchCard on Inertia and Friction.

2nd Law - Force Equals Mass X Acceleration

The second law of motion describes how the force is proportional to the mass of the object and acceleration.

When a force acts on an object with mass, the object will accelerate in the direction of the force. The force is equal to the product of mass and acceleration.

The equation is written as:

F = M X A

or F=MA

F = Force; M = Mass; A = Acceleration

What does this mean? The harder the force, the greater the acceleration (change in speed over time.) Force and acceleration are proportional to each other.

Try it with the marbles. Give a little push, then a harder push. The greater force not only propels the marble further, but also faster.

Brainstorm other examples of force accelerating on object in games, sports, or other hobbies.

Let's look at another application of this law. With equal force, the acceleration of an object with smaller mass would be greater than an object with larger mass. If a child rolled a five pound bowling ball as hard as he or she could; and a fifteen pound bowling ball as hard as possible, which would go faster?

This MatchCard explains more about speed, velocity, momentum, and acceleration.

3rd Law - Action-Reaction Law

This is probably the most frequently quoted of Newtons three laws of motion. "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction."

We have been using the term "force", so we will stick to that.

For every force there is an opposite and equal force.

Okay, here's an illustration for this law. You see an inflated beach ball in a park and you want to kick the ball into the ball field. You run up, pull back your leg and kick it as hard as you can. Because of its light weight and your strong kick it goes soaring high and far.

Hmm, where was the equal and opposite force there? Well instead, let's suppose you ran up and kicked it as hard as you could, just like you did before. Oops, it's not an inflatable ball, but a 150 pound marble sculpture that is painted to look like a beach ball. Ouch! Do you think there might be a reaction in your toes and leg!

Note how this worked with your marble game. When one marble hit another marble, both marbles were affected. The speed and direction of the moving marble changed when it struck the marble at rest. In upper level physics, you would actually calculate the speed, distance, and effects of friction on both objects. Okay, let's just make it easier and say they are equal for now, can we?

Brainstorm other examples in sports. What happens to your arm in baseball when you catch a fast moving ball?

Watch A Game

You have played a game and discussed the three laws of motion. Now, watch a game or activity, and see how many examples you can find.

Other Activities

Choose one sport or activity and describe how Newton's laws are applied. Make a video or photo display. (Soccer is a good sport to try this with - but it can be done with any activity that has movement.)
Make a poster and include all the activities you brainstormed. Continue looking for examples of Newtons three laws of motions in your daily life.

Download and Use Newtons Three Laws MatchCard

This is the seventh Matchcard of the Force and Motion Unit Study. You can DOWNLOAD the
Newtons Three Laws of Motion HERE.

The student matches the definitions and examples with the 3 laws of motion.

The second page is the Instructor's Guide with the correct answers.

The third page has the Information Pieces. Student's cut them apart and place them in the correct place on their copy of the Matchcard (first page.)

For more information on how to use the Matchcards, see the MatchCard Science Instructor's Guide.

More information on this interactive unit study is below.

MatchCard Science

The activities and illustration above are from MatchCard Science, a homeschool science unit study. For the complete Force and Motion Unit Study follow this link. This unit study provides:

hands-on demonstrations
MatchCard reviews to master the material
suggestions for science projects to complete
instructions on a complete unit study curriculum

Currently this curriculum is under-going revision. We are providing free access to the unit study, with the desire that you will provide feedback as you are field testing the materials.

Return from Newtons Three Laws of Motion to the MatchCard Science Main Page.

The Kid Friendly Homeschool Curriculum HOME PAGE.