Part A: Vacuum Chamber

We will watch a video of the world’s biggest vacuum chamber! Once all of the air is removed, they will
drop a feather and a bowling ball. Before we watch, make your prediction.
1. PREDICT what you think will happen when they drop these objects:

COMPARE the two objects (mass, velocity, etc) CONTRAST the two objects
The bowling ball has more mass than the feathers, Both of the objects are solid.
as well as more volume and it's bigger in size. The
feathers are smaller, lighter, and they have air
resistance. The bowling ball is more hard, while
the feathers are more softer.

2. What is causing the acceleration of the objects from top to bottom (what is pulling on them)?
Gravity is pulling down on them.

Part B: PhET: Forces and Motion Basics

Link to sim: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/forces-and-motion-basics

Open the simulation and press the arrow to start.

Newton's 1st Law is also known as the Law of Inertia. It says that objects will stay still or keep moving
in the same direction and same speed until they're acted upon by an unbalanced force.
Newton's 2nd Law tells us that the more force is applied to an object the faster it will accelerate. It also
tells us that objects with a greater mass need a greater force to be applied in order to accelerate them.
Acceleration is any change in motion. This means speeding up (this includes starting to move), slowing
down (including stopping), or changing direction.

The “Motion” tab

● Click on the “Motion” option.

● Check the boxes for “Values”, “Masses”, and “Speed” (“Force” should already be
checked)
● Use the arrows at the bottom to slowly increase the amount of force applied
to the box until the box starts moving.

1. How much force does it take to start moving the 50 kg box?

At least 1 newton to increase the speed to 0.1, it moves a bit but not that visible to the human eye.

2. Why do you need to apply a force in order to get the box to move?
Because objects stay still until an unbalanced force is acting on them.
3. How much force do you need to apply in order to stop the box?
You need to use F=MA to calculate how much force is needed to stop the box.
4. Which of Newton's Laws does this demonstrate?
This demonstrates Newton's 1st Law of Inertia
5. How does it demonstrate that law?
This demonstrates Newton's First Law because the box remains at rest until an unbalanced force
is applied to overcome its inertia and start it moving.
● Fill in the chart below, adding your own mix in the final row.

Object Total mass Force needed to get it moving at 5 m/s

Box 50kg 50

Box with Girl 90kg 150

Box with Man 130kg 220

Box with Garbage Can 150kg 300

Fridge 200kg 400

Fridge with Box with 350kg 500

Garbage Can

6. What is the pattern you see between the total mass and the force needed to accelerate to 5 m/s?
As the total mass increases, the force needed to accelerate to 5 m/s increases
7. Which of Newton's Laws does this demonstrate?
Newton’s 2nd Law of Motion
8. How does it demonstrate that law?
It shows that force required to move an object is proportional to its mass (F=MA)

The “Net Force” tab

 ● Click on the “Net Force” option at the bottom of your screen.
○
● Check the boxes for “Some of Forces”, “Values”, and “Speed”

● Fill in the chart below, adding your own mix in the final row. Be sure to fill out your
prediction before you press “Go!”

People & Predicted Sum of Forces Actual Movement Speed

Placement Movement (0, x-left, x-right) (none, left, right) (m/s)

None 0 None 0 m/s

Same size
Same placement

People & Predicted Sum of Forces Actual Movement Speed

Placement Movement (0, x-left, x-right) (none, left, right) (m/s)

None 0 None 0 m/s

Same size
Different
placement

Toward larger 50-left left 20 m/s

person
Different size
Same placement

Toward larger 50-left left 20 m/s

person
Different size
Different
placement

9. Your science class is going to play a game of tug-of-war and you need to divide up the teams.
There are 11 people participating. If you want equal teams, how would you decide who is on
which side and why? Use what you have learned about Newton's Laws of motions to explain.
To make fair teams in tug-of-war, divide the stronger or heavier people evenly between both sides. This
way, both teams can pull with equal force. Newton's Second Law says the more an object weighs the
more force is needed to pull it. So, balancing strength and weight on both sides makes the game fair.

The “Friction” Tab

 ● Click reset, recheck all the boxes as in set-up, Select “Lots” of Friction

Describe what happens when you apply a 500N force to the following masses:

Mass (kg) Sum Force Top What happens when you reach top speed and stop
(N) speed? pushing?
350N Slows down

312N Slows down

200N Slows down

162N Slows down

+
0N Slows down

0N Slows down

312N Slows down

Based on what you saw in the simulation, what is the mass of the mystery mass? (in kg!)

50kg

Some of the masses would NOT move with a 500N force. Which ones and Why?

The garbage can and fridge would not move with a 500n because 500n is not enough force to move
anything over 100kg.

What parameter could you change to get the masses in the previous question to move? Does it work?

The amount of friction. It works

What is the difference between a 500N force and a - 500N force in the simulation?

-500n is exerting 500N to the left, while 500N is exerting it to the right.

The “Acceleration” Tab

Investigation Question: What effect does changing masses have on an object’s acceleration with a
constant applied force (force DOES NOT change)?

● Turn on all option buttons and turn off friction.

● Drag the wood box off of the path. Then, put the refrigerator onto the path.
● Click the double arrow to the right to apply 100N of force.
● Pause the Sim and Record the acceleration.
● While paused: change the object to two stacked boxes.
● Play and record data.
● Pause the Sim and change the object to one box.
● Play and record data.

Object Mass of Object(s) (kg) Force Applied (N) Acceleration (m/s2)

Refrigerator 200kg 500N 2.50 m/s2

2 Stacked Boxes 100kg 500N 5 m/s2

1 Box 50kg 500N 10 m/s2

Girl 40kg 500N 12.50 m/s2

Man 80kg 500N 6.25 m/s²

1. What observational (qualitative) relationship can you determine with the recorded data? In other
words, is there a “rule of thumb” that you could apply here for moving objects?
Objects that have a higher mass accelerate less than objects with a lower mass when the same
force is applied.

2. What mathematical (quantitative) relationship can you determine with the recorded data?
A=FM, acceleration is the force applied divided by the mass.

3. Do these relationships hold true for other objects? Choose the girl, man, bucket of water or any
combination of objects and run the experiment with any force you choose. Show your work and
detail the situation that you ran by inputting your data into the blank row at the bottom of the
data table.

500 divided by 80 = 6.25

4. Using what you now know, describe how it is possible for any two objects that are very different
to fall and hit the ground at the same time (assuming air resistance is NOT a factor).
It is possible for any two objects that are very different to fall and hit the ground at the same time
because Earth’s gravitational pull exerts a greater force on heavier objects, but the greater force is
canceled by the greater mass on the object. Therefore, everything falls at the same time without air
resistance.