EDUCATION
Key Stage 3 / Science / Lesson 1
Crash test 1
You need to perform a series of crash tests to simulate
what happens to passengers with and without a seat belt.
Solid surface
Plasticine crash
test dummy on a
seat in the box
Box ‘car’
Ramp height
Slide ramp
No seat belts
With seat belts
1. Make a crash test dummy out of plasticine.
1. Use adhesive tape to make a three-point seat
belt like the one shown below.
2. Put the dummy into a box vehicle like the one
shown in the diagram.
3. Slide the vehicle down the ramp to simulate a
crash.
4. Use the results sheet to note the damage to
the crash dummy.
5. Repair the dummy and repeat the test using
a range of heights on the ramp. Note the
heights that you used.
2. Repeat your crash tests using the same ramp
heights as before.
Use the results sheet to note the damage to
the dummy.
A three-point seat
belt system.
Your report
Use your results to write a report showing the
effects on the crash dummy in tests with and
without a seat belt.
Page 1
Explain how you controlled your tests so that
they gave a fair and reliable comparison.
What are the limitations of your test?
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EDUCATION
Activity sheet 2
Crash test results
Ramp height (cm)
Page 2
Damage to dummy
without seat belts
Damage to dummy
with seat belts
www.dft.gov.uk/think/education/secondary