Physics: Toys in Motion: Balls, Cars, and Tops
Exploring pushes, pulls, spins, speed, and direction
Physics: Toys in Motion: Balls, Cars, and Tops
Exploring pushes, pulls, spins, speed, and direction
Physics - Grade 2-3
- 1
Mia gives a toy car a gentle push. Then she gives the same car a stronger push. Which push will most likely make the car go farther? Explain why.
Think about how hard the hand pushes the car.
The stronger push will most likely make the car go farther because a bigger force can make the car move faster and travel a longer distance. - 2
A ball is rolling across the floor. It bumps into a wall and rolls back the other way. What changed about the ball's motion?
The ball's direction changed when it hit the wall. It was moving toward the wall, and then it moved away from the wall. - 3
Lena spins a top on a smooth table. After a while, the top slows down and falls over. What force helped slow the top down?
Friction happens when surfaces rub together.
Friction helped slow the top down. The top rubbed against the table and the air, so it lost motion over time. - 4
A toy car rolls down a ramp. Circle the sentence that is true: The car is pushed by gravity down the ramp. The car is pulled upward by the ramp. Explain your choice.
The car is pushed by gravity down the ramp. Gravity pulls objects downward, so the car rolls from the higher end to the lower end. - 5
Sam rolls two balls. Ball A rolls on a smooth floor. Ball B rolls on a thick rug. Which ball will probably roll farther? Explain why.
A rough surface usually slows moving objects more than a smooth surface.
Ball A will probably roll farther on the smooth floor because there is less friction. The thick rug creates more friction and slows Ball B down. - 6
A wind-up toy car moves forward, then stops when it runs out of energy. What does the toy need to start moving again?
The toy needs more stored energy from being wound up again. When it has energy, it can make its wheels turn and move forward. - 7
Look at these toy movements: a ball bouncing, a car rolling, and a top spinning. Choose one toy and describe its motion using words like forward, backward, up, down, around, fast, or slow.
Use at least two motion words in your answer.
A correct answer describes one toy's motion clearly. For example, a top spins around quickly at first, then it spins more slowly before it falls over. - 8
A student drops a rubber ball from a low height. Then the student drops the same ball from a higher height. Which drop will most likely make the ball bounce higher?
The ball dropped from the higher height will most likely bounce higher because it has more energy when it hits the ground. - 9
A toy car is moving forward. A student places a block in front of it. The car hits the block and stops. What caused the car to stop?
Objects can change motion when they bump into each other.
The block caused the car to stop because it pushed back on the car. The car's motion changed when it hit the block. - 10
Jamal wants his toy car to go faster down a ramp. He can make the ramp flatter or steeper. Which change should he try, and why?
Compare a small hill to a big hill.
Jamal should make the ramp steeper. A steeper ramp lets gravity pull the car down more quickly, so the car can go faster.