Newton's First Law

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Home : 2002 : August : 12

Newton's First Law
By Peg

I do something that really grabs them. I have a silky piece of material large enough to cover a small table or student desk and hang down a bit all around. I set the table with clean dishes I get at yard sales or the dump.
Without saying a word, I walk up to the table and gather the cloth in my hands. At this point, they are staring at me in disbelief, and then, "Voila!" I pull the table cloth out from under the dishes without rattling a single one. Is it magic? No, it's science. I then ask them what they observed and teach them about force and motion. "An object at rest will remain at rest unless acted

on by an outside force."

Since my table covering has no hem, and there is little friction because of the type of material, there is no force to move the dishes. I make sure to explain that they are not to use the good china at home and that these dishes are dump dishes, and then proceed to have students take a risk until everyone has been successful. You can hear the dishes shattering all over the school! We do a lot of observation and sharing of what we see leads to success, and eventually, everyone accomplishes the task. It's great fun, educational, and a confidence builder!