Air Resistance and Falling Objects

9th GradeScience80 min

aligned to I Can Conduct An Investigation To Evaluate The Role Of Air Resistance When An Object Is In Free Fall.

Learning Objective

I can design and conduct an experiment to determine the effect of air resistance on a falling object.

Lesson Flow

Watch Video

10 min

1st place Egg Drop project ideas- using SCIENCE

Mark Rober

Guided Notes

16 min

Key concepts students will learn:

  • Potential energy is the energy associated with height, while kinetic energy is the energy of speed.

  • Adding a parachute to your egg drop contraption increases air resistance, which reduces the speed of the fall and the impact force on the egg.

  • To protect an egg, you can either reduce the speed at impact or spread out the impact event over a longer period of time.

Practice

24 min

12 questions • Multiple choice & Short answer

Exit Ticket

5 min

Design an experiment to test how the size of a parachute affects the speed of a falling object. Describe the materials you would use, the steps you would take, and what measurements you would record.

Teacher Guide

Get the complete package:

  • Answer keys for all questions
  • Differentiation strategies
  • Extension activities
  • Printable student handouts