Mission Library

Laser Labyrinth
Force, Mass, and Motion
Grades 5-8

The Mission
30 min

Storyline

Using their knowledge of forces, motion, and mass, students will infiltrate Moodoo's stronghold to get a valuable, stolen crystal back.

Moodoo has struck again! This time, he has targeted one of our galaxy's most valuable treasures - a rare crystal that can power an entire planet for centuries. This crystal was powering the planet Tellenor, but Moodoo has taken it back to his stronghold and set up a series of elaborate defenses to keep anyone from getting the crystal back from him. Students will need to investigate how to get past a laser maze by determining the correct combination of force, acceleration, and mass required to deactivate the lasers. This investigation will require students to demonstrate an understanding of how a change in an object’s motion depends on the sum of the forces on the object and the mass of the object.

3-Dimensional Science

Phenomenon

Acceleration of an object is dependent on the net force acting upon it and inversely upon the mass of the object.

Science and Engineering Practices

Developing and Using Models

Students use computer models to recognize relationships between motion, force, and speed in order to determine how to get three rotating objects to move at the same speed.

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

The crew must analyze evidence, including computer models, graphs, and other information to figure out how to shut off the power to the lasers that are blocking their path to the crystal.

Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

The crew must use math and critical thinking to determine how to get three rotating objects in motion to sync up and move at the same speed of 15 m/s.

Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information

Students obtain and evaluate pertinent information about force, mass, and motion and use that data to determine the best way forward to sync up the objects powering the generator.

Crosscutting Concepts

Patterns

The crew must identify the patterns in the motion of the three rotating objects based on their mass, force, and acceleration. Students will then use these observed patterns to draw conclusions about how to add force to each object to make them sync up.

Cause and Effect

When the crew arrives at the laser maze, they must figure out the cause and effect relationship between the rotating objects in the generator and the power to the lasers staying on.

Energy and Matter

Students describe cycling of matter and flow of energy through a closed system. The crew has to navigate through a laser maze, which is powered by a generator that is based on the synchronization of rotating objects. This generator is an example of how energy can be harnessed from different sources, and how it can be transformed and transferred to do work.

Stability and Change

Students evaluate how and why a constructed system involving motion (i.e a power generator) can change or remain stable over time based on unbalanced forces and mass.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

PS2.A: Forces and Motion

  • The motion of an object is determined by the sum of the forces acting on it; if the total force on the object is not zero, its motion will change. The greater the mass of the object, the greater the force needed to achieve the same change in motion. For any given object, a larger force causes a larger change in motion.

  • All positions of objects and the directions of forces and motions must be described in an arbitrarily chosen reference frame and arbitrarily chosen units of size. In order to share information with other people, these choices must also be shared.

Resources
Targeted Standards
Timeline
Skills in Action