Physics 2.4 AS91171 Demonstrate understanding of mechanics.

Link to NZQA information relevant to this standard.

There are heaps of resources which make mechanics relevant to the contexts of sport and road safety.

For teaching impulse-momentum: try “Eggs on a sheet”, or the “crash helmet challenge”.  Some of these demonstrations are covered in “Understanding car crashes: it’s basic Physics”, a 20 minute video produced by the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Newton’s Laws of Motion

The Newtonian Chicks: This 5 minute video, made by students at Kaitaia College in the far north of NZ, offers a uniquely NZ take on Newton’s Laws. Slightly dated, but very kiwi.

If you have an air track use it to demonstrate Newton’s first law and Newton’s second law (or using a smart pulley)

Newton’s third law is commonly misunderstood. VUW has resources which challenge misconceptions of “equal and opposite forces cancel” and “forces aren’t equal if acceleration occurs”.

Exploring the misconceptions head-on, Veritasium’s Derek Muller has formulated them as “Three Incorrect Laws of Motion”