ERIC Number: EJ1150630
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017-May
Pages: 3
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0031-921X
EISSN: N/A
Lazy Days: An Active Way to Put Newton's First Law into Motion (or Rest)
Roemmele, Christopher; Sederberg, David
Physics Teacher, v55 n5 p285-287 May 2017
Students are better able to understand Newton's first law when they build from their own personal experiences of bicycling, skateboarding, or riding in a car. Most have experienced a tumble when their skateboard or bicycle comes to an abrupt stop. Alternately in a car, your body continues moving when the brakes are applied and you feel the force of the seatbelt holding you in place. Start moving again and you feel your body pushed forward by the seat against your back. These common experiences provide good opportunities to learn about the concept of inertia (and to obey the law and wear seatbelts!). The state of motion of the rider does not change until an outside force is applied. We like to tell students to look at inertia as nature's way of "being lazy." This is how the name of this lab exercise, Lazy Days, is derived.
Descriptors: Physics, Science Instruction, Scientific Concepts, Motion, Science Activities, Science Laboratories
American Association of Physics Teachers. One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740. Tel: 301-209-3300; Fax: 301-209-0845; e-mail: pubs@aapt.org; Web site: http://aapt.scitation.org/journal/pte
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A