Activity #1: Inertia – A Body at Rest

In this experiment you will learn about inertia. In it, you will try to remove a bookcover from under an object without moving the object on top. Magicians do this all the time. Remember seeing a magician pull a tablecloth out from under a pile of dishes? Was it magic or science? 

Before you BEGIN, write down in your Newton’s Lawbook what you think will happen. Try to explain the SCIENTIFIC reasons for the outcome you PREDICT. 

Materials

You will need the following items for this experiment:

• one bookcover or large piece of SMOOTH paper
• one book with a hard, glossy cover
• one book with a rough or non-glossy cover
• objects to place on the bookcover

Procedure

1. Place the bookcover (or piece of paper) on a flat, smooth surface. 
2. Put the book with the glossy cover on top of the bookcover. 
3. Quickly (and in one smooth motion) yank the bookcover out from under the book. 
4. Write down what happens.
5. Do the experiment again, this time putting other objects on top of the bookcover. Observe what happens and write your answers to the following questions in your Newton’s Lawbook: Does mass (weight) have any effect on the experiment? Does the type of object you add have any effect? If so, in what way and why?
6. Try the experiment again using a book with a rough or non-glossy cover.