Seibun Mind-Development® Activities

Hovercraft Lab 1 – Inertia

• Purpose – To observe Newton’s First Law of Motion using a Seibun Hovercraft Kit

Information

Sir Isaac Newton developed three laws of motion. The Newton’s First Law of Motion states an object will remain in a constant state of motion unless acted on by an unbalanced, outside force. This law is often called the Law of Inertia. Inertia means an object will stay in a constant state of motion unless an outside and unbalanced force acts on it.

An object sitting still is in a constant state of motion, it is NOT moving at all. On Earth even if an object is not moving there are forces acting on it. The object has a weight. The weight is a force from gravity pulling the object straight down. The other force is called a NORMAL force. The normal force pushes up from the surface and stops the object from falling.

A constant state of motion could be an object moving forward with a constant speed with no force pushing it forward or backward.

A constant state of motion could be an object moving forward with a force pushing it and another force resisting the motion. The two forces MUST be the same size for the speed to be constant. An object would then have FOUR forces acting on it. The four forces are the weight down, the normal force up, the force pushing forward and the drag backward.

• Equipment – Seibun Hovercraft, smooth surface
   

  • Rectangular cookie sheet and water works well

Procedure

1.      Find a smooth and level surface. Filling a large, rectangular cookie pan with water works well for a very level and smooth surface.

2.      Turn on the Hovercraft then place it on the smooth surface.

3.      Notice the Hovercraft floats above the surface.

4.      Notice the Hovercraft moves forward until it reaches a constant speed.

5.      While moving forward from rest until reaching a constant speed the Hovercraft is ACCELERATING. Accelerating means the speed is changing.

6.      Change the direction the fan points and observe how this changes the direction the Hovercraft moves.

Conclusion

1.      Explain what inertia means when an object is sitting still.

2.      Explain what inertia means when an object is moving.

3.      Draw a picture of the Hovercraft as it sits on a surface without the fans on. Show and label all the forces acting on the Hovercraft.

7.      Draw a picture of the Hovercraft as it moves forward with a constant speed. Show and label all four forces acting on the Hovercraft.