Forces in Getting Over It
Lesson Overview
Title: Getting Over It with Newton: A Physics Lesson in Force, Momentum, and Gravity
Subject: Science (Physics)
Age Group(s): 14–18 (High School)
Tags: Physics, Newton's Laws, Momentum, Gravity, Force, Gamification, Problem-Solving
Description:
Students will analyze gameplay from "Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy" to explore fundamental physics principles. They will apply Newton's Laws of Motion and Gravitation to explain the character's movement, contrasting motion in a gravitational field with motion in space to understand the conservation of momentum.
Lesson Plan
📋 Find the full lesson plan on the companion GameClass lesson — link at the bottom of this page!
Lesson Content
I. Key Teaching Points
- Point 1: An object's acceleration is directly proportional to the net force applied to it and inversely proportional to its mass (Newton's Second Law: F=ma).
- Point 2: The force of gravity is a major external force on Earth that must be overcome to achieve upward motion, but it is negligible in deep space far from large masses.
- Point 3: In a system with no significant external forces (like in space), momentum is conserved; an object in motion will stay in motion with the same velocity.
II. Practical Examples
For Teaching Point 1:
Throughout the first section of the video (0:00–0:38), the player must apply a force with the hammer to accelerate upwards. The net force is the difference between the hammer's upward force and the constant downward force of gravity. A small, quick push results in very little acceleration, while a large, sustained push — like the one at 0:37 — creates a significant net upward force and a large acceleration, launching the character into space. The fall at 0:03 demonstrates what happens when gravity becomes the dominant force, causing a constant downward acceleration.
For Teaching Point 2:
The gameplay provides a stark contrast between two environments. On the tower, the player is constantly fighting against Earth's strong gravitational pull. After being launched at 0:39, the character enters a space environment where nearby gravitational forces are extremely weak. As a result, the character no longer falls back down, perfectly illustrating how gravity dominates motion near a large mass but is negligible far away from one.
For Teaching Point 3:
The moments after 0:40 are a clear demonstration of momentum conservation. Once launched into space, the character travels in a relatively straight line at a constant speed because there are no significant external forces like gravity or air resistance acting on him. His motion only changes when he applies an internal force by pushing the hammer against another object, such as the asteroid at 1:07. This interaction changes his trajectory, illustrating how forces are required to change an object's momentum.
End of Lesson