Level 2: Rubbing and rolling

Forces and motion · level 2 of 8 · rough age 7-8 (a guide for parents; anyone can start anywhere)

In this level you meet friction, the rubbing force that slows things down, and find out when it is a nuisance and when we could not do without it. You see why wheels make moving things so much easier, what slopes do, and why rovers on Mars have got stuck in sand and drive slower than a crawling baby.

Lesson	You will be able to
Rubbing slows things down	Explain what friction is and what it does to moving things
Smooth and rough	Say which surfaces rub more, and where friction helps us
Wheels and rollers	Explain why rolling is so much easier than sliding
Up and down slopes	Explain why climbing a slope is hard and why things roll down
Stuck in the sand	Explain how a rover gets stuck in soft sand, and how Opportunity got out
Why rovers drive slowly	Give reasons why a Mars rover moves slower than a crawling baby

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