Prepare your students for real-world problem solving and open-ended lab experiments. Experienced educators and curriculum specialists have developed each of these lessons, and we have tested them in real classrooms. PocketLab physics lessons cover introductory and advanced topics from one-dimensional motion to electricity and magnetism to simple harmonic motion. Browse all the high school and AP-level physics lessons below or use the filters to search for specific content.
High School Physics
Soup Can Race
Exploration
When two cans of different geometries are released from rest at the same time at the top of an inclined plane the results of the race may not be what you predict. The moment of inertia of each soup can will affect whether it reaches the end of the inclined plane first.
Objective
In this experiment, students will:
1. Determine the order in which each can will reach the bottom of the ramp first and explain why in terms of the energy in the system and the moment of inertia in each can.
Natural Frequency of a Mass-Spring System
Exploration
Explore principles of harmonic motion. An oscillating mass on a spring or the motion of a simple pendulum are examples of objects in simple harmonic motion. When an object is in simple harmonic motion, the restoring force is directly proportional to the displacement and will act in opposition to that displacement, allowing the object to oscillate back and forth.
Objective
Properties of a Wave with Simple Harmonic Motion
NGSS Alignment: MS-PS4-1
The disciplinary core idea behind this standard is PS4.A: Wave Properties. It specifically looks at how a simple wave has a repeating pattern with a specific wavelength, frequency, and amplitude. The Crosscutting Concept, Patterns, looks at how graphs and charts can be used to identify patterns in data. By creating graphs of mechanical waves, using a PocketLab Voyager or PocketLab One with a simple pendulum or a mass on a spring, students can examine how the graphs created are modeling by the movement and energy of the pendulum or mass-spring system.
Introduction to Free Falling Objects
Exploration
Galileo Galilei is often considered one of the founders of modern science. This is because he investigated questions through experimentation and observations. One of his most famous experiments involved dropping cannonballs of different mass to determine whether they would accelerate to the ground at different rates.
Understanding Newton's Laws with Atwood's Machine
Exploration
Acceleration of an object is dependent upon two variables – the net force acting on the object and the mass of the object. Using a Full-Atwood’s Machine you will explore the relationship between these variables to understand Newton’s Second Law of Motion.
Objective
Crash Cushion Investigation: Newton's Third Law
Investigation Purpose
Using office supplies, students will design, build, test, and iterate on a crash cushion that will reduce the force experienced by a cart as it crashes into a wall.