Science·Energy·conceptual
What happens when things collide
Ask questions and predict outcomes about the changes in energy that occur when objects collide
Suggested ages 9–10
Learning journey
Your child is exploring how energy works — understanding how it moves between objects, changes from one form to another, and can be transferred through sound, light, heat, and electricity.
Evidence of understanding
- Predict the outcome of a collision based on the speeds and sizes of the objects
- Explain that energy transfers from one object to another during a collision
- Describe observable changes: one object speeds up, the other slows down, sound is produced
Assessment prompt
If What happens when things collide rolls two balls towards each other, can they predict what will happen when they hit and explain that energy transfers between them?
Standards alignment
4-PS3-3US · ngss-k5
4-PS3-3
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) K-5