Experiment to demonstrate force
Force is a hard concept to visualize unless you can see or calculate the results. Force is the slightest movement caused by pushing or pulling and object. Force can be in effect with the object appearing still. An example is; a person standing on a floor, the person is the force, the floor is the foundation, and the interforce at the foot is the load's (force's) point of application.
Material: chair, 2 student volunteers
Procedure: Place chair in the middle of the floor. Ask students if there is any force on the chair? Student pushes the chair a short distance. Is there force involved?
(Movement is caused by unbalanced force)
Repeat #2: modification is students are on opposite sides of the chair, each student simultaneously gently pushes chair. What happened to the chair? Is there force involved?
Discuss why when there is no one is touch chair it is stationary. (Gravity pushing down, no movement, reflective forces yield balanced force.)
This is a very simple experiment the students can do and have done countless times. Only this time it is being used to convey the idea of force.
