Now, that's some fire power! A five-page handout provides a description of the basics of how rockets work. The reading explains Newton's Laws of Motion by beginning with defining some of the important terms. The article finishes by connecting the Laws of Motion to rockets.

Concepts

newton's laws of motion, newton's first law of motion, newton's second law of motion, newton's third law of motion, rockets, technology resources

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Instructional Ideas

• Have individuals research classroom activities they can share about Newton's Laws of Motion
• Demonstrate Newton's Laws by sitting in a chair with wheels while throwing a medicine ball

Classroom Considerations

• The reading load may be too complex for younger classes 

Pros

• The material is useful as an introductory to any unit on rockets
• The explanation of the important terms allows pupils to visualize the terms in real-world situations

Cons

• The mathematical formula with the subscripts is confusing without having a frame of reference