The big idea driving this unit
Motion always depends on your point of view, and it changes only when an unbalanced force acts. A crash isn't caused by one single thing: speed, mass, forces, and energy transfer all work together when a speeding truck hits a pole.
Chapters in this unit
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1
Frames of ReferenceWould a truck speeding toward a pole look like it's moving the same way to the crash-test dummy riding in its open bed, a scientist on the sidewalk, and a helicopter pilot overhead?MS-PS2-2
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2
Speed and Distance/Time GraphsWhat could a distance vs. time graph of the truck speeding toward the pole tell you about how fast it was going and when it stopped?MS-PS2-2
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3
Inertia and Net ForcesWhat actually causes the crash-test dummy to go flying off the truck bed the instant the truck hits the pole?MS-PS2-2
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4
Energy Transfer via FrictionWhen the speeding truck slams into the pole and stops, where does all of its motion energy go, and what does friction have to do with it?MS-PS2-2MS-PS3-5
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5
Mass and AccelerationIf you wanted to make a crash less damaging, would it matter more to slow the truck down or to make it lighter?MS-PS2-2MS-PS3-1
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6
Collisions and Newton's Third LawThe pole doesn't move and looks fine, but the truck crumples badly. Does that mean the pole pushed on the truck harder than the truck pushed on the pole?MS-PS2-1MS-PS3-5