CER Assignment: Reducing Impact in Collisions Using Newton's Third Law

In this assignment, you will use the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) format to explain how Newton's third law of motion applies when two objects collide. You will also think of a real-world problem where two objects collide and come up with a solution to reduce the impact of the collision. Remember, Newton's third law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Directions: Read the scenario below and answer the questions using the CER format.

Scenario: Imagine two bumper cars at an amusement park. When they crash into each other, both cars bounce back. Sometimes, the people inside feel a big jolt, but other times, the impact feels softer. Engineers want to make bumper cars safer by reducing the force people feel during a collision.

Claim: State a claim about how Newton's third law explains what happens when two bumper cars collide.

Evidence: Describe something you observe or know about bumper cars that supports your claim.

Reasoning: Explain how your evidence supports your claim using Newton's third law of motion.

Problem Solving: Imagine you are an engineer. What is one way you could design the bumper cars to reduce the impact when they collide? Explain how your solution works.