Students explore momentum — mass in motion — and the law of its conservation, which explains everything from billiard-ball collisions to rocket launches, and why a slow truck can hit harder than a fast bicycle.
Students will be able to…
A bullet is tiny but dangerous; a truck is slow but unstoppable. What quantity captures the “oomph” of a moving object — and why is it always conserved in a collision?
Project each item and have students analyze momentum and its conservation. The tool explains how mass and velocity combine.
Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.
A bullet vs. a slow truck — which packs more “oomph”?
Students investigate.
Teacher explains.
Apply.
Three quick checks.
Aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (High School Physics) and Common Core literacy in science.
Use mathematics to support the claim that momentum is conserved in a system.
Apply scientific ideas to design a device that minimizes force in a collision.
Analyze data supporting Newton’s second law.
Follow a complex multistep procedure.
Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.
Have students explain how airbags and seatbelts use impulse (extending the time of a force) to reduce injury in a crash. A printable momentum sheet is in the Science library.
Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.
A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.
A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.