Marco rolls one marble across a carpeted floor and another across a smooth wood floor. If the marbles are the same and he rolls them in the same way, which marble will roll farther? Why? Think of your best explanation, then read ours below.
What You’ll Need
two marbles
wood floor
carpeted floor
What to Do
Sit between a wood floor and a carpeted floor. Roll one marble on the wood floor and the other on the carpeted floor. Which marble rolled the farthest?
How It Works
The marble on a wood floor will roll farther because that floor offers less rolling resistance. On a carpeted floor, the marble rolls over carpet fibers, bending them. This resists the marble's motion because the marble uses some form of its energy to move the fibers.