Push or Pull
What do we call a push or a pull that can make an object move?
Force
What happens to an object when forces on it are balanced?
The object stays still or continues at the same motion (no change).
What force pulls objects toward Earth?
Gravity
What are the two ends of a magnet called?
North Pole and South Pole
Name one playground activity that uses gravity to help you move.
Swing, slide, seesaw (any one).
Give one example of a push you use when playing an outside game.
pushing a swing, kicking a ball, pushing a scooter.
In tug-of-war, if both teams pull equally, which type of forces are acting?
Balanced forces.
Which force makes moving objects slow down when surfaces rub together?
Friction
What happens when two like magnetic poles (north + north) are near each other?
They push (repel) away from each other.
Which force helps a person move down a slide and which force works to slow them down?
Gravity helps you move down; friction slows you down.
If you pull a toy car toward you, is that a push or a pull? Explain in one short sentence.
Pull — because you apply a force toward yourself to move the car closer.
What does “unbalanced forces” do to an object’s motion? Give one example from the playground.
Unbalanced forces change motion; example: one team pulls harder in tug-of-war and the other team moves.
Why would someone slide faster on a smooth, steep slide than on a rough, less-steep slide? (Name two reasons.)
Smooth + steep = less friction and stronger pull of gravity component down the slope → faster sliding.
What is static electricity? Give the balloon-and-sweater example in one sentence.
Static electricity is a force from build-up of electric charge; e.g., rubbing a balloon on a sweater makes the balloon pull small bits of tissue paper toward it.
For a seesaw, what force helps pull the people downward when one side goes down?
Gravity.
Describe how pushing harder on a soccer ball changes how it moves.
Harder push = more force → ball goes farther/faster.
A book rests on a table. Explain why it does not move using the words balanced and forces.
Forces from the table pushing up and gravity pulling down are equal → balanced → book stays still.
How does gravity affect a swing and how does friction affect sliding down a slide? Give a short answer for each.
Gravity pulls you downward on a swing; friction between you and the slide or air slows you down on a slide.
Explain how magnets can push or pull without touching an object.
Magnetic fields cause attraction or repulsion without touching; field lines create forces at a distance.
The merry-go-round can spin when someone pushes it. Which force starts it moving, and is gravity needed for it to spin? Explain briefly.
Pushing force starts it; gravity is not required for spinning (it may affect balance but not the spin itself).
Name two ways a force can change an object's motion (use two short phrases).
Change speed; change direction; start or stop motion.
Two students push a box from opposite sides. One pushes harder and the box moves. Explain which forces are balanced or unbalanced and why the box moved.
Initially balanced; when one student pushes harder, forces become unbalanced so the box moves toward the stronger push.
Design change: If you wanted people to slide faster on a playground slide, name one thing you could change and explain using the words gravity and friction.
Make surface smoother or steeper to reduce friction and use gravity to pull riders faster.
A balloon rubbed on a sweater picks up tiny pieces of tissue paper. Which force is at work, and why do the tissue pieces move though nothing touched them?
Static electricity pulls (attracts) the tissue because charged balloon creates an electric force that acts at a distance.
Scientists investigated swings and found longer ropes → longer time for a swing. Explain why changing one thing (rope length) changed the pattern of motion. Use the word pattern in your answer.
Longer rope → larger path or slower period → pattern: as rope length increases, swing time increases (predictable relationship).