Shoot & Drop - Physics Experiment

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Gravity is always acting upon us during our daily activities, but surprisingly many people don't understand the fundamental concepts behind the force that keeps our feet firmly on the ground. This simple experiment illustrates some key principles of gravity and sparks thought. The model releases two balls simultaneously, one moving forward while the other drops to the ground. The question is, which ball hits the ground first? The horizontally launched ball or the ball simply dropped to the ground? Print the model to find out if your prediction is correct. Two different strength springs are included so you can test your theory with the launched ball leaving faster or slower. The lesson plan includes notes and two worksheets. This allows you to have students work through the lesson independently, or teach it to the class and have them write a final paper at the end. Overall, the model is lots of fun to experiment with and teaches a valuable lesson.