Force Basics
Question: What is a force?
A. A type of energy stored inside an object
B. A push or a pull on an object
C. A measurement of an object's weight
D. A tool used to move objects
Answer: B. A push or a pull on an object
Question: Which force keeps your feet on the ground?
A. Magnetism
B. Pressure
C. Friction
D. Gravity
Answer: D. Gravity
Question: Who was Isaac Newton?
A. A scientist who studied motion and forces
B. A pilot who invented the airplane
C. A doctor who discovered germs
D. A mathematician who invented the telescope
Answer: A. A scientist who studied motion and forces
Question: What does speed measure?
A. How heavy an object is
B. How fast or slow something moves
C. How much force an object creates
D. How large an object appears
Answer: B. How fast or slow something moves
A football player kicks a ball down the field.
What force makes the ball start moving?
A. Friction force
B. Applied force
C. Magnetic force
D. Gravity only
B. Applied force
Question: Which example shows a pull force?
A. Kicking a soccer ball across a field
B. Pushing a shopping cart down an aisle
C. Pulling a chair away from a table
D. Tossing a ball toward a friend
Answer: C. Pulling a chair away from a table
Question: A ball is rolling across the ground. After a while, it slows down and comes to a stop. Which force caused the ball to stop moving?
A. Gravity pulled the ball toward the ground
B. Friction acted between the ball and the ground
C. Pressure pushed the ball forward
D. Magnetism pulled the ball backward
Answer: B. Friction acted between the ball and the ground
Question: Which example demonstrates Newton's First Law of Motion (Inertia)?
A. A soccer ball speeds up when kicked
B. A book stays on a table until someone moves it
C. A rocket lifts off into space
D. A bicycle moves faster when pedaled harder
Answer: B. A book stays on a table until someone moves it
Question: Which unit is commonly used to measure speed in the United States?
A. Gallons per minute
B. Pounds per hour
C. Miles per hour
D. Inches per pound
Answer: C. Miles per hour
A skateboard slows down while rolling on concrete even though no one touches it.
What force causes the skateboard to slow down?
A. Gravity
B. Magnetic force
C. Friction
D. Nuclear force
C. Friction
A tug-of-war game ends with the rope staying completely still because both teams are pulling with equal strength. What does this show?
A. The forces are balanced, so the rope does not move.
B. The forces are unbalanced, so the rope speeds up.
C. Gravity is stronger than all other forces.
D. Friction causes the rope to disappear.
Answer: A. The forces are balanced, so the rope does not move.
Question: Which statement about magnetism is correct?
A. Magnets can only push other magnets away
B. Magnets only affect objects they touch directly
C. Magnets can attract or repel certain metals without touching them
D. Magnets create friction whenever they move
Answer: C. Magnets can attract or repel certain metals without touching them
Question: Which situation best demonstrates Newton's Second Law of Motion?
A. A skateboard remains still until pushed
B. A swimmer pushes water backward and moves forward
C. A shopping cart moves faster when pushed with greater force
D. A balloon moves because air escapes from it
Answer: C. A shopping cart moves faster when pushed with greater force
Question: What is average speed?
A. How fast an object moves at one exact moment
B. How fast an object moves over an entire trip or distance
C. The fastest speed an object reaches during a trip
D. The slowest speed an object reaches during a trip
Answer: B. How fast an object moves over an entire trip or distance
Two football players collide during a tackle. One has more mass, but both feel the impact.
What does Newton’s Third Law say about the forces during the collision?
A. The bigger player hits harder
B. The smaller player experiences more force
C. Both players experience equal and opposite forces
D. Only the faster player feels force
C. Both players experience equal and opposite forces
A soccer ball is sitting still on the grass. A player kicks the ball, and it rolls across the field. Why did the ball begin to move?
A. Balanced forces kept the ball in place.
B. An unbalanced force caused the ball to move.
C. Gravity stopped acting on the ball.
D. The ball created its own force.
Answer: B. An unbalanced force caused the ball to move.
Question: Which force is a non-contact force because it can act on an object without touching it?
A. Friction slowing a bicycle tire on the road
B. Pressure from air inside a basketball
C. Gravity pulling a dropped book toward Earth
D. A push from a person moving a shopping cart
Answer: C. Gravity pulling a dropped book toward Earth
Question: Which example best demonstrates Newton's Third Law of Motion?
A. A ball rolls more slowly on carpet than on tile
B. A heavier box requires more force to move than a lighter box
C. A parked car remains still until acted on by a force
D. A rocket moves upward as gases are pushed downward
Answer: D. A rocket moves upward as gases are pushed downward
Question: A car travels 90 miles in 2 hours. What is its speed?
A. 40 miles per hour
B. 45 miles per hour
C. 50 miles per hour
D. 55 miles per hour
Answer: B. 45 miles per hour
A hockey puck slides on ice with very little friction. A player hits it with 60 N of force forward while friction is 10 N backward.
What is the net force, and what will the puck do?
A. 50 N forward; it speeds up
B. 70 N forward; it slows down
C. 50 N backward; it speeds up
D. 60 N forward; it stays still
C. 50 N backward; it speeds up
Question: A student pushes a heavy desk and a light chair with the same amount of force. Why does the chair move more easily?
A. The chair creates more pressure than the desk
B. The chair has less distance to travel
C. The chair requires less force because it has less mass
D. The chair has a greater effect than the desk
Answer: C. The chair requires less force because it has less mass
Question: A student rubs a plastic ruler on their shirt and then holds it near small pieces of paper. The paper pieces move toward the ruler even though the ruler never touches them. Which type of force is causing the paper to move?
A. Static electricity, a non-contact force that can attract objects from a distance
B. Friction, a contact force that continues acting after the ruler is removed
C. Pressure, a pushing force created by the weight of the paper pieces
D. Gravity, a pulling force that moves objects sideways toward other objects
Answer: A. Static electricity, a non-contact force that can attract objects from a distance
Question: A student pushes an empty shopping cart and a loaded shopping cart with the same amount of force. The empty cart accelerates more quickly. Which statement best explains this observation using Newton's Laws?
A. Objects with less mass accelerate more when the same force is applied
B. Objects with more mass always travel faster than lighter objects
C. Newton's First Law states that heavier objects move without force
D. Newton's Third Law explains why both carts stop immediately
Answer: A. Objects with less mass accelerate more when the same force is applied.
Question: A race car travels 600 miles in 6 hours. An airplane travels 600 miles in 1 hour. Which vehicle has the greater average speed?
A. The race car because it traveled longer
B. The airplane because it traveled the same distance in less time
C. Both have the same average speed
D. There is not enough information
Answer: B. The airplane because it traveled the same distance in less time.
A rocket launches into space by blasting hot gas downward.
What makes the rocket move upward?
A. Gravity pushes the rocket up
B. The rocket pushes gas downward, and the gas pushes the rocket upward with an equal and opposite force
C. There is no air in space so no forces are needed
D. Friction from air pushes it up
B. The rocket pushes gas downward, and the gas pushes the rocket upward with an equal and opposite force