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Lesson · Grade 2 · Science

Tug of War: Balanced and Unbalanced Pulls

  • Grade 2
  • Science
  • 58 s
  • British Columbia
  • BC2-SC-08

In a tug of war, one friend on each side pulls just as hard, so the pulls are balanced and the flag stays over the middle line. When a second and then a third friend join one side, the pulls become unbalanced: the rope moves toward the stronger pull, and the stronger pull makes it move faster.

Concept: Pushes and pulls: balanced and unbalanced

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In one sentence

The question this lesson answers

Two friends play tug of war with a rope.

Each friend pulls the rope their own way.

Transcript

What the lesson says

Two friends play tug of war with a rope.

Each friend pulls the rope their own way.

Which way will the flag move?

Both friends pull just as hard.

So the flag stays still, right in the middle.

When pulls are the same size, they are balanced.

Now a new friend helps the blue side.

Two friends pull harder than one friend.

When one pull is bigger, they are unbalanced.

The flag moves slowly toward the stronger pull.

A third friend makes the blue pull even stronger.

Now the flag moves faster than before.

A stronger pull makes a bigger change.

Balanced pulls keep the rope still. Unbalanced pulls make the rope move.

Curriculum

Where this fits

British Columbia, Grade 2

Science, Physics: types of forcesBC2-SC-08

Next: Forces That Work Without Touching

The outcomes and strands follow the British Columbia curriculum.

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