Oak class have been studying water resistance, air resistance, friction, gravity and associated forces. There have been experiments with parachutes for Lego men, plasticine in water, dropping spheres of different weights and pulling blocks over different surfaces. After lots of discussion, testing and observation the children bent their collective minds to the ultimate hypothesis. What will happen when we drop different kinds of jelly onto the playground?
The children predicted that both cubed jelly and prepared jelly will land in the same way because they are both jelly.
The experiment was conducted by having an adult standing on a stable platform. After a countdown, the jellies are dropped from the same height. The drop is filmed and watched in slow motion to see if there is any difference in behaviour between the two jellies.
It was observed that the cubed jelly bounced and retained it shape but the prepared jelly changed shape as if fell and ultimately splatted.
The children concluded that the state of matter – in this case, jelly – has an impact on how it responds to gravity.
