Notes from Janice’s Desk
Many think the combination of Physics and Fun is an oxymoron. No doubt there are some complex math problems in advanced physics studies, but elementary physics is easy. YES!! I said Physics is EASY!! Now I guess you want me to support this statement with an easy physics example—No problem. Let’s take Newton’s First Law of Motion, which is all about inertia.
Are you taking bets to see how long it take me to make cry “uncle” and confess that physics isn’t easy after all. If so you lose. Check out my way of telling kids about inertia.
Instructions: Study pictures A and B, and then answer the question.
1. Which would be easier to lift, the elephant in picture A or the puppy in picture B?
Think:
1. A force is a push or pull on something. It takes a force to move something. It takes a force to lift the elephant. It takes a force to lift the puppy.
2. It takes more force to lift the elephant than it would to lift the puppy.
Answer: It is easier to move the puppy.
Instructions: Read the definition of inertia, and then answer the question.
Which has more inertia, the elephant or the puppy?
FACT: Inertia describes how difficult it is to move something. The greater the inertia of an object the harder it is to move the object.
Answer: It is harder to move the elephant, so it has more inertia.
FYI: It is hard to move the elephant because it weighs more.
For more info about inertia, see Inertia: STOP THAT ELEPHANT.
More Later, Janice
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