Which activity best supports the goal of exploring cause and effect in a lesson about a marble's movement?

The activity of using the ramp to change the height and increase the speed of the marble effectively supports the goal of exploring cause and effect. By altering the height of the ramp, students can observe how this change directly impacts the speed of the marble as it rolls down. This hands-on experimentation allows learners to make connections between their actions (changing the ramp height) and the resultant effect (the marble’s speed).

This relationship between cause and effect is central to scientific inquiry, and such an activity not only engages students in active learning but also helps them formulate hypotheses about motion and gravity. It encourages critical thinking as they can predict and then observe the outcomes of their adjustments, making the learning experience both meaningful and educational.

In contrast, the other activities, while they may capture certain aspects of motion or direction, do not emphasize the direct relationship between a specific change (the height of the ramp) and its immediate effect (the speed of the marble).