Sir Isaac Newton, a famous physicist, created three laws related to the science of physics. These laws explain movement. Newton's third law of physics explains how opposite reactions occur for every action. Drop five ping-pong balls one at a time from a distance of about 1 1/2 feet. Record how far the balls bounce into the air after they hit the ground. Next, drop five golf balls one at a time and record the results. Finally, place a ping-pong ball on top of a golf ball and drop them to the ground. The ping-pong balls should shoot off into the air (like a rocket) at an accelerated pace. Students should record how far the ping-pong ball bounces.
Eighth-grade students can learn about the different properties of materials and substances by conducting a simple experiment with candles. Light a candle and let the wick burn for a while. After the candle burns for at least 20 seconds, blow out the wick. Take a lighter and immediately relight the candle, but place the fire slightly above the wick. Gases that were released from the wick should transfer the energy from the fire to the wick and light the candle. Students can observe how a candle changes its state of matter from a solid to a liquid (and even a gas) when heat is applied to the material.
Physics also involves the study of how electricity moves through a circuit. In this experiment, students will create an interactive questionnaire to explain this process. Cut a file folder in half and write questions on the left side of the folder and an answer section on the right. Next, punch a hole by the question and each answer choice. Tape a strip of foil from the question to the correct answer. Light bulbs can be used to check the answer by connecting them to a D-cell battery, placing them through the holes on the folder and hooking them to the strips of foil. Light bulbs will light up only between the correct answer and question.
Heavier objects fall quicker to the ground than lighter ones, and students can evaluate this scientific fact by conducting a force-drop experiment. Students should be given various materials (books, paper, pens, etc.) to drop and record the time it takes for each one to hit the ground. Each item should be dropped at least 10 times; the results should be recorded for each drop.