Friction is a force that slows things down. More friction is created when a surface is very rough and bumpy. Objects travel fast across smooth surfaces because there is less friction. Year 3 decided to investigate whether a car travels slower downhill on different surfaces. They predicted that the car would travel slower down the rough surfaces and speedy down the smoother surfaces. To keep it a fair test we kept the car and the person letting go the same but changed the surface boards.
The young scientists learnt that there was more friction on the carpet board and the sandpaper as the car travelled more slowly. The car travelled much faster down the wood surface and the smooth foam surface. The wood surface took the car 1.51s, the foam took 1.55s, the sandpaper took 1.77s and the carpet took 2.69s.
Next week, Year 3 begin the lengthy task of formally writing up the investigation in their science books!
