Science is all around us and it is very much alive. There is science involved in the bubbles forming when water reaches its boiling point and the same goes with the ‘buzzing’ sound of the alarm which wakes you up every morning. So, to say, science is exciting and it is super thrilling to learn about some of these facts. Even a kindergarten student is introduced to science via play-way methods. K-12 schools in Dubai and other regions of the Middle East promote the STEAM way of learning, which includes Science as an important subject.

Interesting Facts About Force: Let’s get you to ‘rack your brains’ a bit. What is this thing that you can’t see, but makes the world go around? Yes, Force. If you got the answer correct, give yourself a pat on the back. Push force moves an object in the direction of the push. So, when you push a swing on which your friend is sitting, the force applied, moves the swing even further up. The stronger you flex your muscles and exert the push, the higher the swing will go. As kids, you must have played this game where you compete with your pals to see whose swing goes faster and higher up!

Did you know that pressure is also a kind of physical force? So, pressure is the physical force exerted on an object. To demonstrate this, simply take a toy hammer and carefully make a blow on a piece of biscuit placed on a table. What do you notice? Obviously, the biscuit crumbles into tiny bits & pieces. When force is applied as a result of pressure, some change happens to the object.

1. Any kind of force is basically just ‘push’ and ‘pull’ force
2. The definition of inertia means – a tendency to do nothing or to remain unchanged. So, anything that is heavy or has more weight, is in a state of inertia. The larger the object, the more inertia it has stored and a greater amount of force needs to be applied to move it. To move a boulder, you will require a greater amount of force vs. to move a pencil, which is lightweight.
3. Magnetism is a type of force because it either attracts the object towards it or repels it. The magnet pulls shavings of iron towards it and when two like poles of the magnet (+ or -) come in contact with each other, they repel exerting push force.
4. Gravity is the force that draws objects toward their center and due to gravity, the planets continue to orbit around the sun
5. Heard of elastic force? Maybe you’ve hurt your fingers when trying to retract a rubber band while playing with it. Basically, the elastic force is noted as the force that allows materials to return to their original shape & form after being stretched or compressed. Thus, elastic force works on a stretched rubber band.
6. Another interesting fact about force is that ‘force can cancel out each other’. In a game of tug-of-war when either team tries to pull the rope towards them and if both exert the same amount of force in pulling the rope, the net value is zero. This means, none of the teams will move forward, as the rope remains in its original position. Very interesting indeed! You should try it out at your school’s annual athletic meet.
7. Force isn’t boring, it is super thrilling! Imagine you are on a skateboard and trying to flaunt some cool tricks. Twisting & turning to maneuver your skateboard is all part of the fun. When you use your body to twist the skateboard the force of friction is acting up. This means, the friction gently slows down the wheels of the skateboard, allowing you to perform some ticks without getting hurt. Head to the XDubai Skatepark in UAE, which is the best place to practice skateboarding in the region.

Now that we know quite a few interesting trivia about force, you can apply these principles to your daily lives.

How LEGO® Education BricQ Motion is making the study of ‘force’ more interesting?

This kit is designed keeping the thought-patters and attention span of elementary grade (6th – 8th) students. This set comprises of Minifigures (which seem like tiny humans) and other building elements such as; gears, bricks, springs, and color-coordinated sorting trays. Children have fun while conducting investigations and studying the nuances of force when they use the concepts of push & pull and change in speed, using their LEGO® Education models. To learn more about LEGO® Education BricQ Motion and its availability in your GCC regions; simply visit Shop Knowledge Hub.