Fast and slow
Physics · Early Years · The School
Fast things and slow things
Some things move FAST — a car, a running dog, a ball thrown hard. Some things move SLOW — a snail, a cloud, someone walking carefully. You can watch two things move and say which one is faster, without needing any numbers at all.
Making it faster
Push something harder and it goes faster. Roll a ball gently and it travels slowly; give it a big push and it shoots away. A car rolling down a steep slope goes faster than one rolling down a gentle slope. A bigger push, or a steeper slope, means more speed.
Stopping
Things do not keep going for ever. A rolling ball slows down and stops, because rubbing against the ground slows it. A ball rolls further on smooth wood than on a thick carpet, because the carpet rubs against it more. Something always slows a moving thing down.
Prop a tray on one book and let a toy car roll down. Mark where it reaches. Now prop it on three books and let the SAME car go. It arrives faster and travels further, because a steeper slope gives it a bigger pull. Now put a towel at the bottom and run it again: it stops much sooner. Steeper means faster; rougher means stopping sooner. Two changes, two clear results.