How Do You Use Newtons Laws Of Motion To Explain How A Garden Sprinkler Works?
A rotating garden sprinkler makes an effective tool for demonstrating Newton’s laws of motion. As water moves forward through the sprinkler, it generates an opposite force that spins the sprinkler arms in the opposite direction. Ask students to explain how the sprinkler works to test their knowledge of Newton’s laws of motion. Show your students a rotational sprinkler in action. Ask them to describe what they see. Mention Newton’s third law in regards to the sprinkler: “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.” Ask the students to watch again while the sprinkler turns. They must watch specifically for the direction in which the water moves. The water always moves in the opposite direction to the sprinkler arms. Ask the students to consider what causes the sprinkler arms to rotate in the first place. If they get stuck, start with Newton’s first law of motion: “An object in motion must stay in motion unless an external force acts against it to slow it down.” Explain that in this
