Newton's Third Law of Motion STEM Lab

Students will investigate Newton’s 3rd Law of Motion by testing how changing the nozzle opening of a water-powered bottle jet affects the distance it travels. Using a plastic bottle, interchangeable bottle-cap nozzles with different hole diameters, and a simple launch cradle, students observe how the backward push of water creates an equal and opposite forward force. Through repeated launches, distance measurement, class averages, graphing, and a CER, students discover how nozzle size changes thrust and why action–reaction force pairs drive all propulsion systems.

Learning Targets
Plan and carry out a controlled investigation with repeated trials
Measure travel distance and calculate class averages
Graph class data to compare how nozzle diameter affects thrust
Construct a CER explaining the relationship between nozzle size and forward motion using Newton’s Third Law
Identify variables, maintain controls, and improve test consistency
What’s Included

Teacher Guide
Setup diagrams, safety notes, launch-zone management tips, and clear background explanations of Newton’s Third Law (action–reaction force pairs). Includes guidance for standardizing bottle volume, nozzle attachment, fill levels, launch angle, and release technique to ensure fair comparisons.

Student Packet
Hypothesis prompt, variables chart, step-by-step build/setup instructions, 3-trial data table per nozzle size, average-distance calculations, comparison table, graphing task, and structured CER response.

Class Data & Graphing Pages
Class totals chart, bar-graph template (“Average Distance vs Nozzle Diameter”), labeled-axes lines, and a caption prompt requiring students to identify which nozzle produced the greatest thrust using numerical evidence.