Little Lab Coats

Collisions and Transferring Motion

Physical Science — Forces & Motion | Unit 1, Lesson 4 of 6

📚 Grade: 5th Grade⏱️ Duration: 45–60 minutes🔬 Subject: Physical Science — Forces & Motion

🚗💥

A collision can move more than one object.

📋 NGSS Standard:
5-PS2-1 — Support an argument that the gravitational force exerted by Earth on objects is directed down.

🎯 Learning Objective

Students will observe how a moving object can transfer motion during a collision.

💡 The Big Idea

When objects collide, motion and energy can transfer from one object to another.

🔬 The Science

Science Snapshot

Collisions redistribute motion and energy between the objects involved.

What is happening?

When objects collide, forces act during the brief contact and can transfer motion from one object to another. The result depends on speed, mass, direction, and how the materials interact during impact.

Why it works that way

A moving object can slow down, stop, bounce, or push another object into motion. Energy is also redistributed during the collision as sound, heat, movement, or deformation, which is why collisions can look different even when the objects start similarly.

Look for this in the lesson

Students should pay attention to before-and-after motion. That evidence helps them explain what changed during the moment of contact.

Ask while you read: What does the motion before and after impact tell you about the collision?

📦 Materials

🏠 Household Items to Gather

Two toy cars, marbles, or rolled balls
Flat surface
Tape for start lines
Worksheet and pencil

📋 Printables

Student worksheet page from this lesson

🧪 Investigation

Step 1 — Predict the collision (5 min)
Ask which object will move after the collision.

Step 2 — Run the test (10 min)
Roll one object so it bumps into a resting object.

Step 3 — Repeat and compare (10 min)
Try a harder roll and a softer roll.

Step 4 — Record the changes (10 min)
Students describe what happened to each object.

Step 5 — Explain the transfer (10 min)
Discuss how the moving object transferred motion.

💬 Discussion Questions

What happened to the second object after the collision?It started moving because motion transferred.

Why should you compare a soft roll and a hard roll?It helps you see how the size of the push changes the result.

Did the first object always stop completely?Not always — sometimes it slows, stops, or keeps moving differently.

🚀 Extensions

Extension: Set up a line of two or three objects and see how motion transfers through more than one object.

👩‍🏫 Parent/Teacher Notes

Teaching move: Students do not need to calculate energy. Keep it qualitative and evidence-based.

Student Worksheet

Name: ________________________ Date: ________________________

1️⃣ Collision observations

Test	What did the first object do?	What did the second object do?
Soft collision
Hard collision

2️⃣ Explain the transfer

🔑 PARENT ANSWER KEY — Detach before giving worksheet to students

Sample Explanation

The moving object transferred motion to the second object during the collision. The stronger roll usually caused a bigger motion change.

✅ What Success Looks Like

Student notices both objects after the collision.
Student compares soft vs hard rolls.
Student uses transfer language correctly.