Collision Course Teacher Guide Collision Course
Teacher Facilitation Guide
Lesson Mission
Students will investigate the relationship between mass, speed, and energy transfer. By conducting controlled marble collisions, they will observe how kinetic energy moves from one object to another and how variables change the impact.
Key Questions
1 What happens to energy when two objects collide?
2 How does increasing ramp height change the collision distance?
3 How does mass affect the "striker" marble's impact?
Inventory
Rulers with center grooves
Glass & Steel marbles
Masking tape
Meter sticks / Tape
Stacks of books
Time
60 Min
Pacing Plan
Engage: The Slow-Mo Smash (10 min)
Use the Slide Deck to show a slow-motion collision. Ask students: "Where does the energy go?" Introduce the concept of Energy Transfer .
Explore: Crash Test Lab (30 min)
Students work in pairs using the Crash Test Journal . They set up ramps at three different heights and measure how far a target marble travels after being hit.
Explain: Data Debrief (10 min)
Bring the class together to graph results. Discuss why the "heavy" marble or the "steeper" ramp caused a bigger reaction.
Elaborate: Momentum Match (10 min)
Hand out the Momentum Match Game cards for a quick scenario-based challenge to check for understanding.
Discussion Prompts
"If we dropped the marble from 50 feet up, what would happen?"
Goal: Connect height to energy potential.
"Why does the striker marble slow down or stop after hitting the target?"
Goal: Identify energy transfer (conservation of energy).
Common Hurdles
Uneven Ramps: Ensure rulers are taped down firmly so they don't shift during the launch.Friction: PICK ONE SURFACE. Hardwood is best. Carpeting slows results too much.
Support & Stretch
Scaffolding
Provide a pre-marked measuring strip on the floor so students don't have to manage a ruler while observing.
Extension
Challenge students to create a "Chain Reaction" where one marble hits a second, which then hits a third.
Success Criteria
Recording data in three distinct trials.
Concluding that higher speed = more energy transfer.
Correctly matching 4/4 Momentum scenarios.
Collision Course Slides WARNING: PHYSICS IN PROGRESS • CRASH TEST ZONE • COLLISION COURSE • WARNING: PHYSICS IN PROGRESS • WARNING: PHYSICS IN PROGRESS • CRASH TEST ZONE • COLLISION COURSE • WARNING: PHYSICS IN PROGRESS •
Collision
Course
The Science of Speed & Impact
Lab Unit
Energy Transfer
The Big Question
What happens to energy when two moving objects hit each other?
Think about a bowling ball hitting pins, or a soccer foot hitting a ball.
Key Concept
Energy Transfer
When energy moves from one object to another during a collision.
The Rule
Energy isn't created or destroyed—it just changes location or form!
Moving Object A
Reacting Object B
The Variables
LAB SETUP
1
Mass
How "heavy" is the striker? More mass = more energy stored.
2
Velocity (Speed)
How fast is it moving? Higher ramps make faster marbles.
Today's Goal
"Measure how far a target marble moves when hit by strikers of different speeds and weights."
Safety & Precision
Measure
Start from the same line every single time.
Observe
Watch the collision from the side, not from above.
Record
Write down results immediately after each crash.
Ready to roll?
Crash Test Journal Crash Test Journal
Official Lab Data Record • Unit: Energy Transfer
Name:
Date:
The Prediction
If we increase the height of the ramp (making the marble faster), the target marble will travel:
Shorter Distance
The Same Distance
Further Distance
Lab Test: Ramp Height
Ramp Height Trial 1 (cm) Trial 2 (cm) Trial 3 (cm) Average Low (1 Book) Medium (3 Books) High (6 Books)
Sketch the Collision
Before Impact
Draw the striker at the top of the ramp.
After Impact
Show where both marbles ended up.
The Analysis
1. What happened to the speed of the STRIKER marble after it hit the target?
2. Explain how energy moved from the STRIKER to the TARGET marble:
Physics Core Lab • Crash Test Unit
Momentum Match Game Momentum Match
The Energy Transfer Scenario Game
How to Play
Cut out the cards below. Match the Collision Scenario (Yellow) with the correct Energy Transfer Outcome (White). The cards are scrambled—can you find the right pairs?
Scenario A
A heavy bowling ball rolls slowly into a light plastic pin.
Outcome 03
The energy is transferred equally and both objects bounce backward in opposite directions.
Scenario C
Two identical marbles collide head-on at the same speed.
Outcome 01
The heavy object's high mass causes the target to fly away easily, even at low speeds.
Scenario B
A fast ping-pong ball hits a stationary basketball.
Outcome 04
Increasing velocity results in much more energy transfer. The ball gains significant speed.
Scenario D
A soccer player kicks a ball with twice as much force.
Outcome 02
The light object has speed but low mass. It bounces back, and the heavy object barely moves.
