Exploring the Role of Physics in Everyday Life Through STEM Activities

22 May 2025

Physics is everywhere—whether you realize it or not! From the way you walk to the way your phone sends a text, physics plays a crucial role in everyday life. The best part? You don’t need a fancy lab to see it in action. With simple STEM activities, you can experience firsthand how this fascinating subject shapes the world around you.

Let’s dive into the practical side of physics, understand its importance, and explore fun and engaging STEM activities that make learning this subject exciting!

Why Is Physics So Important in Everyday Life?

Think of physics as the secret code behind how everything works. It explains why the sky is blue, how a car moves, and even why you don’t float off into space! Every movement, interaction, and natural phenomenon can be traced back to physical laws.

To put it simply, physics helps us understand the world better. It’s the driving force behind technology, engineering, and countless innovations that make modern life possible. Whether you’re making a cup of coffee, riding a bike, or charging your phone, physics is at play.

But instead of just reading about these concepts, let’s experience them through hands-on STEM activities!

STEM Activities That Highlight Physics in Everyday Life

The cool thing about STEM activities is that they make learning fun. Instead of memorizing formulas, you’ll get to see physics in action. Here are some simple yet exciting STEM experiments you can try at home or in the classroom.

1. Newton’s Laws of Motion – Balloon Rocket Experiment

Ever wondered how rockets move in space? This activity demonstrates Newton’s Third Law: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

What You’ll Need:

- A long piece of string
- A balloon
- A straw
- Tape

How to Do It:

1. Thread the string through the straw and secure both ends to two fixed points.
2. Blow up the balloon but don’t tie it—hold the opening.
3. Tape the balloon to the straw.
4. Let go of the balloon and watch it zoom forward!

What’s Happening?

As air rushes out of the balloon (action), the balloon moves in the opposite direction (reaction), just like a real rocket. This is a simple yet powerful way to understand motion and force.

2. Gravity and Free Fall – The Paper vs. Coin Drop

Ever noticed how a feather falls slowly, while a coin drops straight to the ground? Let’s test gravity’s effect.

What You’ll Need:

- A coin
- A sheet of paper

How to Do It:

1. Hold the paper and coin at the same height.
2. Drop them at the same time.
3. Observe which one hits the ground first.
4. Now crumble the paper into a tight ball and repeat the test.

What’s Happening?

Initially, the flat paper falls slower due to air resistance. But when crumpled, it behaves more like the coin because air resistance is reduced, demonstrating how gravity acts on all objects equally in a vacuum.

3. Friction in Action – The Book Sliding Challenge

Ever noticed how some objects slide more easily than others? That’s because of friction!

What You’ll Need:

- A hardcover book
- A smooth surface (like a table)
- A rough surface (like a carpet)

How to Do It:

1. Push the book across a smooth surface and observe how far it moves.
2. Now push it across a rough surface.
3. Compare the distances.

What’s Happening?

The rough surface creates more friction, slowing the book down, while the smooth surface lets it slide farther. This is why ice is slippery while sandpaper is not!

4. Sound Energy – The String Telephone Experiment

Ever made a telephone out of cups and string? You’re actually exploring sound waves!

What You’ll Need:

- Two plastic or paper cups
- A long piece of string

How to Do It:

1. Poke a small hole in the bottom of each cup.
2. Thread the string through both holes and tie knots to keep it in place.
3. Hold one cup to your ear while a friend speaks into the other.
4. Keep the string tight and listen!

What’s Happening?

The sound waves travel through the string, allowing you to hear your friend. This demonstrates how vibrations carry sound, similar to how telephones work.

5. Magnetism – Floating Paper Clips

Magnets are magical, but their power comes from magnetic fields.

What You’ll Need:

- A strong magnet
- A paperclip
- A string

How to Do It:

1. Tie the paperclip to one end of the string.
2. Hold the string so the paperclip dangles in the air.
3. Slowly bring the magnet close to the paperclip without touching it.

What’s Happening?

The paperclip appears to "float" because the magnet’s force attracts it. This is how everyday devices like fridge magnets, speakers, and compasses work!

How Physics Shapes the World Around Us

Now that you’ve seen physics in action, let’s talk about where you see these concepts in real life.

- Newton’s Laws: From driving a car to kicking a soccer ball, motion and forces are always at play.
- Gravity: It keeps us grounded and ensures that objects fall when dropped.
- Friction: It helps us walk without slipping and makes sure cars don’t slide on the road.
- Sound Waves: From music to phone calls, vibrations allow us to communicate.
- Magnetism: Electric motors, credit card strips, and MRI machines all rely on magnetic forces.

By understanding these principles, we can design better technology, improve safety, and innovate for the future.

Making Physics Fun and Accessible

Too often, physics seems intimidating—like it’s all about complicated equations. But by engaging in hands-on STEM activities, anyone can grasp these concepts in a fun, practical way.

Teachers and parents can encourage kids to ask questions, try experiments, and think critically about the everyday world. The more we observe, test, and learn, the better we understand the universe!

Final Thoughts

Physics isn’t just for textbooks or scientists in labs—it’s happening all around us, every second of the day. Through simple STEM activities, we can bring these abstract concepts to life, making learning much more engaging and meaningful.

So, the next time you boil water, ride a bike, or drop your phone (oops!), take a second to think about the physics at play. Who knows? You might start seeing the world with a whole new perspective.

Happy experimenting!