Lesson Plans > Science > Physical Science > Introduction to Physics Concepts

	Introduction to Physics Concepts (6)
		1. The Laws of Physical Science
			1d. Think Like a Scientist
				Fermi Problems • High School  1-2 class periods How can we estimate the number of jelly beans in a jar? The amount of gasoline used by cars in the U.S. in one year? In this lesson, students will learn to "think like scientists" as they work on solving Fermi problems.
		3. The Notion of Motion
			3a. How Far? Distance and Displacement
				Distance and Displacement • High School  1-2 class periods In order to study motion, students need to be able to measure how far and in which direction an object travels. In this lesson, students will explore the difference between distance and displacement.
		4. Newton's Laws of Motion: Movin' On
			4c. Determining Net Force
				Rockets and Newton's Third Law • High School • Middle School  Approximately 2 class periods In this lesson, students will apply their knowledge of forces and of Newton's third law toward achieving a better understanding of how a rocket is launched.
			4d. Newton's Second Law
				Newton's Second Law • High School • Middle School  1-2 class periods In this lesson, students will learn Newton's second law, describe what a newton is, and explain the relationship between mass, force, and acceleration both mathematically and verbally. Students will also apply Newton's second law (F=ma) toward solving a variety of problems.
			4e. Mass and Weight
				Mass and Weight • High School • Middle School  1 class period Mass and weight are terms that students often confuse because of the way they are commonly used in speech. In this lesson, students will learn the difference between mass and weight. Students will also view animations to help them explore the behavior of objects in free fall, both with and without air resistance.
		5. Two Dimensional Kinematics
				Relative Velocity • High School  1-2 class periods While riding a bicycle in a headwind, or while riding in a car and watching buildings and trees "move," it is easy to see why velocity is considered relative. In this activity, students will use an interactive computer simulation of a river to explore relative velocity and frames of reference.