Inertia

Uncover the science of inertia! This worksheet helps 6th graders understand why objects keep moving or staying still.

Suppose that an astronaut throws a rock in outer space at a location far from significant influences of gravity and air resistance. One would expect that that the rock would ....... Eventually stop since all objects ultimately “lose their steam” Continue in motion with the same speed and direction Either a or b, depending on whether the astronaut continues to push it. Inertia Watch the video and take notes Which of the following best describes Newton's law of inertia? (:43 sec) an object in motion will remain in motion in the same direction and speed unless acted on by outside forces an object remains in motion because a force is always pushing or pulling it an object remains in motion because gravity is always forcing it to move What is the second part of Newton's law of inertia? (2:17) an object in motion will remain in motion unless acted on by an outside force. an object at rest will remain at rest unless acted on by an outside force An example of a force that can slow someone down who is moving on a scooter is..... (:58 sec) a pull a push friction Explain why when a car makes a sharp right turn, your body moves in the opposite direction. Use the terms motion and inertia. (1:33) Which of the following objects has the MOST inertia? (2:33) a 3500 pound car a 2500 pound elephant a 1500 pound boat Vocabulary Matching Inertia an object in motion or rest stays in motion or rest unless acted on by an outside force Velocity the speed and direction of an object Friction a force that slows an object down Heavy objects have more inertia than lighter objects Inertia Table Cloth Trick Watch the video of the "Table Cloth Trick." Be prepared to share an explanation of the experiment in terms of Newton's law of inertia. After viewing the video, explain (in your own words why the objects at rest on the table cloth did not move when the table cloth was removed from underneath them. What is one takeaway you learned?