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Physical Science · Forces & Motion

Forces & Newton's Third Law

Model equal-and-opposite interaction forces and apply Newton's Third Law to improve a one-dimensional collision solution.

Lesson plan

Forces & Newton's Third Law

A step-by-step guide to help you teach this lesson.

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Lesson overview

What students will learn

  • Construct a 6 N equal-and-opposite force pair on two colliding carts.
  • Use criteria, constraints, and test data to compare three bumper designs.

Key science ideas

  • If object A pushes object B, object B pushes object A at the same time.
  • The two forces are equal in strength and opposite in direction.
  • The paired forces act on different objects, so they do not cancel on one object.

Lesson at a glance

  • Grade 6
  • 55 min
  • ~10 min prep
  • MS-PS2-1
  • 4 materials

What’s included

  • Lesson Plan
  • Investigation
  • Teacher Slides
  • Printable Worksheet
  • Teacher Answer Key
  • Interactive Activity
  • Vocabulary