PhysicsGrade 7Motion, Force, and Energy

Motion Track: Force, Friction, and Energy

Push a loaded cart along a track, tune mass, force, friction, and slope, then observe acceleration, velocity, work, and kinetic energy.

SimulationsLab index
Textbook unitMotion, Force, Energy And Energy ResourcesGrade 7 Science Unit 7
Keywordsmotion, force, friction, energy, velocityMapped to available textbook headings
Practice modeManipulate, measure, explainUse the controls, then read the live evidence

Physics | Grade 7-10

Apply forces and observe Newton's 2nd Law in action

Push the cart with a chosen force, add friction or a slope, and watch every meter confirm that Fnet = m x a holds exactly.

StatusReady
1

Flat track, no friction: apply a force and verify a = F / m. Double mass and compare acceleration.

2

Add friction: find the minimum force that starts the cart moving, then record the threshold.

3

Tilt the slope: compare uphill and downhill trials, then explain when gravity helps.

0 m20 m40 m60 m
4 kg
18 N
0.0 N
Position0.00 m
Velocity0.00 m/s
Time0.00 s
v-t graphv (m/s)time ->
Physics insight

Frictionless flat track: all applied force accelerates the cart. a = F / m = 18 / 4 = 4.50 m/s^2. Verify: a x m = 18.0 N.

Net force18.00 N
Acceleration4.50 m/s^2
Friction force0.00 N
Work done0.00 J
Kinetic energy0.00 J

Safety rule

Net force must exceed friction plus slope resistance to accelerate. If net force is zero or negative, the cart will not speed up.

Key principle

Newton's 2nd Law: a = Fnet / m. Doubling mass halves acceleration for the same net force. Friction subtracts from applied force before calculating net force.

Mission

What to prove in this lab

  1. Connect net force and mass to acceleration using live measurements.
  2. Compare how friction and slope change the cart's motion.
  3. Use distance, velocity, work, and kinetic energy to explain a trial.