How Big is that Force?

How big is that Force?

Multiple Choice

Can you pick this toy car up with your hands?

• Of course!

• No way...

Multiple Choice

And this real car, can you pick it up with your hands?

• Sure!

• Umm... No

Objects need forces to move them.

But you already know that!

How can we know how much force does an object need to be moved?

First, let's look back at history:

• Many many (many) years ago, Isaac Newton discovered a force when an apple hit him on the head!

• He thought: ''why did the apple go down, and not up?''

• Newton then thought: ''there must be a force pulling things down!''

• He called this force ''gravity''.

• We measure the force of gravity in Newtons.

Wait... What instrument can we use to measure this force?

A FORCE METER! Also known as Newton Meter

Do you want to know how it works?

Have these materials ready for next class!

Materials for a force meter:

• A 30cm wood, metal or hard plastic ruler (NOT flexible)

• Two rubber bands

• Four paper clips

• Objects to be measured: a pencil case, a notebook, a plastic bag (from the supermarket) and some toys (big and small).

Multiple Choice

Before you go! Complete this sentence:

- We measure forces in _______.

• Kilometers

• Newtons

Multiple Choice

We use a ruler to measure forces! Right?

• Correct!

• Noooo! We use a force meter.

See you in class!