This simple apple ramp STEM challenge is a brilliant, hands-on way to learn about the effect of gradient on speed and friction. We've made a friction ramp to test toy cars before, and this apple version is a fun twist for an autumn themed STEM activity.
The ramp is covered with bubble wrap to increase friction between the apple and the ramp surface, and then with kitchen foil to reduce the friction between the two.
Friction is the force that slows objects down when they try to slide past each other. If you run your hand over a smooth table, there's not much friction; if you do the same on a carpet, there's more friction. The rougher the surface, the more friction is created.
If you walk along a slippery surface barefoot, it's much harder to slip than if you wear socks. There's less friction between socks and the floor than between uneven, and sometimes damp bare feet and the floor.
Apple Friction Ramp STEM Challenge
A friction ramp is a ramp covered with different surfaces to investigate how the surface affects the time it takes for a moving object to travel down the ramp. The apple should not be pushed down the ramp with any force; instead, it should be held at the top and then released as the timer starts. The ramp surface is the variable, everything else must be kept the same.
Variable
- Ramp surface
Things to keep the same
- Gradient of the ramp
- Apple
- Length and height of the ramp
You'll need
- Apples
- Stop watch
- A thick sheet of cardboard about 40 cm long
- Bubble wrap
- Kitchen foil
- Blocks to support the ramp
- Stopwatch or timer
Instructions
Create a ramp using the cardboard and blocks.
Record how long the apple takes to roll down the cardboard. Repeat twice more, so you have three recordings.
Cover the ramp with bubble wrap and record how long it takes the apple to roll down the ramp three times.
Remove the bubble wrap and cover the ramp with kitchen foil, then record how long it takes the apple to roll down the ramp three times.
Extension Tasks
Repeat the investigation with a longer ramp and compare the times.
Use a ball or toy car instead of an apple.
Experiment with different materials covering the ramp.
Learn about friction with a teddy zip line.
Questions to ask
Which surface allows the apple to move the fastest?
Which surface slows the apple down the most?
Why should you not push the apple?
Science Concepts
Friction
Forces and Motion
Last Updated on November 10, 2025 by Emma Vanstone
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