Friction and air resistance are cool forces that can really change how energy moves. Let’s look at two fun experiments you can do to see these effects!

Experiment 1: Rolling Balls

What You Need:

• A smooth surface (like a table)
• A rough surface (like a carpet)
• Small balls (like a marble and a rubber ball)

Steps:

1. First, find a smooth surface. Roll the ball and see how far it goes before it stops. You can use a ruler to measure the distance.
2. Next, try rolling the ball on the rough surface. Measure how far it rolls there, too.

What to Notice: You’ll probably see that the ball rolls farther on the smooth surface. This is because there's less friction, which means more energy can be used to keep it moving.

Experiment 2: Air Resistance with Paper Airplanes

What You Need:

• Different paper airplane designs
• A stopwatch
• A ruler

Steps:

1. Make three different types of paper airplanes.
2. Throw each airplane from the same height and time how long it takes to hit the ground.
3. Measure how far each airplane flies and mark it on the floor.

What to Notice: You may find that some airplane designs, especially those with bigger wings, stay in the air longer. This happens because of air resistance, which changes how energy moves in flight.

Conclusion:

These two experiments show how important friction and air resistance are in moving energy.

Friction slows things down by turning some of the energy into heat. On the other hand, air resistance can change how objects fly, showing energy transfer in action.

These simple experiments not only help you learn about physics but also make you curious to explore the forces that affect us every day!