Name: _________________________________________
Hour: ______________
In 1686, Sir Isaac Newton described three laws that relate forces to the motion of
objects, based solely on his daily observations. Test your knowledge and wisdom while
trying to determine what Newton’s 1st Law of Motion states, based on your own
observations. How does your intelligence compare with Sir Isaac Newton?
Directions:
Newton’s First Law of Motion has 2 parts. Conduct lab activities #1-4 to
determine the first part of this law and then conduct activities #5-6 to determine the
second part of this law.
Activity #1 – Index Card Nickel Support
Describe: Observations and how did you successfully complete this task?
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What did you apply a force on? ______________________________________________
What object(s) move the most? ______________________________________________
What do the remaining objects do? ___________________________________________
Activity #2 – Playing Cards with a Pile of Nickels
Describe: Observations and how did you successfully complete this task?
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What did you apply a force on? ______________________________________________
What object(s) move the most? ______________________________________________
What do the remaining objects do? ___________________________________________
Activity #3 – Money at the Tip of Your Fingers
Describe: Observations and how did you successfully complete this task?
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What did you apply a force on? ______________________________________________
What object(s) move the most? ______________________________________________
What do the remaining objects do? ___________________________________________
Activity #4 – Un-Setting the Table
Describe: Observations and how did you successfully complete this task?
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What did you apply a force on? ______________________________________________
What object(s) move the most? ______________________________________________
What do the remaining objects do? ___________________________________________
THINK: How are the results in activities #1-4 similar? Those similarities should help
you explain the first part of Newton’s 1st Law of Motion. Write what you think his law
states.
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In each of activities #1-4, some objects move and others do not. What force holds the
objects that don’t move, in place? ____________________________________________
Activity #5 – Spin the Egg
Record Observations:
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Which egg is not hard boiled - The egg that stops spinning or the egg that starts spinning
again after being touched to a stop?
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Prediction: Why does one egg start to spin again after being touched? (Think – what did
you actually apply a force on – the shell or the whole egg?)
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Activity #6 – A Sprint to the End
Explain: What happened when you tried to stop?
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Hypothesis: Why did results occur as they did?
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THINK: How are the results in activities #5 & 6 similar? Those similarities should
help you explain the second part of Newton’s 1st Law of Motion. Write what you think
his law states.
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In each of activities #5 and 6, some objects move and others do not. What force makes
the objects that are moving continue to move? __________________________________
Put It All Together! – What is Newton’s 1st Law of Motion?
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