What rolls fastest? Exploring Gravity and Friction on the Playground

What rolls fastest? Exploring Gravity and Friction on the Playground

Get ready to explore how gravity and friction work! Have you ever rolled different objects down a slide to see which ones move fastest? In this activity, you’ll notice that size, weight, and material can change how quickly something rolls. You’ll also learn about friction—the invisible force that slows things down when objects rub against surfaces. This project is a fun way to experiment like a scientist, make predictions, and observe results, all while playing on a slide! (Header image generated with AI)

10-30 minutes Ages 5-10

Project Supplies

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A cartoon of Slide
Slide
A cartoon of Balls
Different size and material Balls
A cartoon of Pencils
Pencils
A cartoon of Stopwatches
Stopwatches
A cartoon of Notebooks
Notebooks
A cartoon of Toy Cars
Small Toy Cars

About This Project

Get ready to explore how gravity and friction work! Have you ever rolled different objects down a slide to see which ones move fastest? In this activity, you’ll notice that size, weight, and material can change how quickly something rolls. You’ll also learn about friction—the invisible force that slows things down when objects rub against surfaces. This project is a fun way to experiment like a scientist, make predictions, and observe results, all while playing on a slide! (Header image generated with AI)

Project Tags
Science Lab Playground STEM Gravity Friction

Steps

Make a Prediction

Gather items you can roll down a slide. Balls, toy cars, pencils, small stones. Look at the items you've gathered and make a guess about what will reach the bottom first. Scientists call this guess a hypothesis. Scientists always start their experiments by writing down their hypothesis. You can write or draw a picture of what you think will roll the fastest in your notebook.

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About the Author

GlueStick

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