Forces & Motion
What do we call a push or a pull on an object?
Force (a push or a pull).
Which property of an object describes how much matter it contains?
Mass
What force pulls objects toward Earth?
Gravity
When scientists see a regular pattern in motion, what can they do about future motion?
Predict future motion based on the pattern.
Fill in the blank: Objects in contact exert _____ on each other.
Forces
If two forces acting on an object do not cancel, what will change about the object?
Its speed or direction (its motion) will change.
Between a heavy box and a light box pushed with the same force, which will change its motion more?
The light box will change its motion more.
Give an example of a non-contact force students learn about (not gravity).
Magnetism or static electricity.
What is a model used for in science when studying forces and motion?
To represent or test ideas about how forces cause motion (e.g., diagrams, toy models).
What usually happens to some energy when objects collide (two things can happen)?
Some energy transfers to the other object and some to the air as heat and sound.
True or False: Forces always make objects move in the same direction as the force.
False — force may change speed or direction depending on situation.
If you double the mass of an object but apply the same force, will the amount of change in motion increase, decrease, or stay the same?
Decrease — more mass means less change for the same force
When a ball hits the ground and bounces, what kind of forces are involved at the moment of contact?
Contact forces (normal force and the force from the ground) and friction.
Describe a simple classroom model to show how different forces on an object can add up to zero net force.
Put two equal opposite pushes on a toy car — it stays still (forces add to zero).
300 (alternate wording) — Use two students pushing from opposite sides with equal force so the object doesn't move.
At this grade level, are mass and weight distinguished? (Yes or No)
No — at this grade level mass and weight are not distinguished.
Name two things that describe a force (hint: one is about how strong it is).
Strength (magnitude) and direction.
Give an everyday example showing how mass affects how easily something speeds up.
Example: A full backpack is harder to start running with than an empty one.
Describe how air resistance can change the motion of a falling object.
Air resistance slows falling objects; lighter or flatter objects may fall more slowly.
How could you use a graph or table to show the effect of force on an object's speed? (Brief idea)
Collect speed vs. force data in a table, then plot force on the x-axis and speed on the y-axis to see the relationship.
Give a short explanation of why communicating with peers can improve investigation designs.
Sharing ideas lets others spot problems and suggest improvements, making the design stronger.
Explain qualitatively how contact forces transfer energy during a collision.
Contact forces push during impact and transfer energy from one object to another, changing motion.
A toy car and a full-sized car are pushed with the same force. Describe why their resulting motions differ using mass.
The toy car has much less mass, so the same push produces a bigger change in its motion than in the full-sized car.
Explain why a magnet can move a paperclip without touching it (qualitatively).
Magnetic force acts at a distance; the magnet creates a magnetic field that exerts a force on the metal.
Design a short fair test (two-variable) to show how mass affects change in motion. List the variable you would change, one you would keep the same, and one you would measure.
Change mass (independent), keep applied force the same (control), measure change in speed or distance moved (dependent). Keep surface and push method the same.
Use a short sentence to explain the standard objective: "The amount of change in the movement of an object is based on the mass of the object and the amount of force exerted."
The bigger the force and the smaller the mass, the more an object's motion will change; more mass or less force gives less change.