Materials Required:
Ruler with a groove in the middle
Marbles (at least four per experiment)
Level surface
Steps Involved:
Line up three marbles in the middle of the ruler and one marble at the edge.
Flick the marble at the edge and observe the results. Ask students to predict what will happen.
Discuss the outcome, noting that only one marble rolls away.
Repeat the experiment with different configurations of marbles (e.g., two marbles at three, etc.).
Identify the pattern: the number of marbles flicked equals the number of marbles that roll away.
Discuss how energy transfer works through collisions between marbles.
Emphasize the importance of a level surface and the need for a firm flick to achieve accurate results.