Bridges-NewHavenScience.doc

Something to Think About Think about what happens during a rocket launch. The rocket is propelled into the air by combustion in the engine creating thrust. How does the creation of thrust move the rocket through the air? Let’s conduct an investigation of Newton’s third law of motion to discover the answer! To every action (force applied) there is an equal and opposite reaction (equal force applied in the opposite direction). Materials A partner 2 Spring scales measured in Newtons Chair Scientific notebook to record observations Investigation Each person should hold a spring scale. Hook the scales together with the s-hooks at the end. One group member will hold still while the other member pulls on the first member using the spring scale. You should observe that the scale the first member holds measures the force exerted on that person. The scale the second member holds measures the force exerted on that person. Try to stay still long enough to record the force readings on your scale. Record the force exerted on each scale in Newtons. Scale 1: ____________N Scale 2:_____________N Which one is larger? The force on the person doing the pulling or the person being pulled on? Or, are the forces the same? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Now hook one of the scales to some non-movable object. Attach the other spring scale to the first with the s-hooks. Pull on the immovable object and look at the force readings on the spring scales. The spring scale attached to the object measures the force exerted on the object. The spring scale you hold measures the force exerted on you. Record the force exerted on each scale in Newtons. Scale 1: ____________N Scale 2:_____________N Which one is larger? The reading on the scale attached to the immovable object or the reading on the scale you pull with? Or, are they the same? _________________________________