Newton's Laws of Motion: Car Crash Safety

Learn how manufacturers test car safety in crash tests with this informative physics worksheet! First, students will think about safety features that protect passengers during crashes and why those features are important. Then, they will read a passage that will tell them how Newton’s Laws of Motion relate to crash testing, and use the First and Second Laws to explain phenomena that happen during crashes. Finally, they will read about how Newton’s Third Law explains what happens during a crash between vehicles of very different masses, then answer a final question about that reading. 

This physics worksheet is designed to teach middle school students about the Laws of Motion by showing examples of them in real life. Young scientists will practice constructing arguments and using evidence to support their claims as they become more familiar with the most fundamental laws of physics.

For more practice with Newton’s laws, check out Newton’s First Law of Motion, Newton’s Second Law: Mass, Force, and Motion, and From Earth to the Moon: Forces and Newton’s Laws of Motion in Basketball.