Magnetic Interactions
Gravity & Motion
Electric Forces
Electromagnets & Conductors
Forces in the Real World
100

A student places two metal objects near each other. After a few seconds, one of them moves slightly toward the other. What does this suggest about at least one of the objects?

At least one object is magnetic or has an induced magnetic field.


100

 If an astronaut drops a rock on the Moon, how will its motion compare to the same rock being dropped on Earth?

The rock will fall more slowly on the Moon because the Moon has weaker gravity.


100

A student rubs a balloon on their hair and then places it near a wall. The balloon sticks to the wall. What type of force is responsible?

An electric force caused by static charge buildup.


100

A student builds a simple electromagnet by wrapping wire around a nail and connecting it to a battery. What will happen when the circuit is complete?

The nail will become a temporary magnet and attract small metal objects.


100

A spacecraft is flying near a planet and suddenly speeds up. What is the most likely cause?

The planet’s gravity is pulling the spacecraft in, increasing its speed.


200

A compass needle suddenly changes direction when a student brings an object nearby. What does this tell you about the object?

The object is producing a magnetic field, which is affecting the compass needle.


200

Two objects have different masses but are dropped at the same time in an environment without air resistance. Which will hit the ground first?

They will hit at the same time because gravity accelerates all objects equally.


200

Two objects have opposite electric charges. What will happen when they are brought close together?

They will attract because opposite charges create an attractive force.


200

What happens to the strength of an electromagnet if more coils of wire are added?

The strength increases because more coils create a stronger magnetic field.


200

A student brings a magnet close to a piece of metal, but nothing happens. What are two possible explanations?

The metal might not be magnetic, or the magnet’s field might not be strong enough.


300

If a student finds two metal bars stuck together and suspects one is a magnet, how could they test whether both are magnets or only one is?

Move one bar and see if it attracts the other from different positions. If one always attracts, it is a permanent magnet.


300

A student weighs 120 pounds on Earth. What would happen to their weight if they traveled to a planet with stronger gravity?

Their weight would increase because weight depends on gravitational pull.


300

A scientist wants to test how the distance between two charged objects affects the force between them. What should they expect as the distance increases?

The force will decrease as distance increases.


300

If a student switches the positive and negative ends of the battery in an electromagnet, how will the magnetic field change?

The poles of the electromagnet will reverse.


300

A scientist is testing how magnetic force changes with distance. What trend should they expect in their results?

As distance increases, the magnetic force decreases.


400

A student observes that when a magnet is heated, it can no longer attract as many objects. What does this suggest about the effect of temperature on magnetism?

Heat disrupts the alignment of magnetic domains, weakening the magnetic force.


400

Why do planets closer to the Sun move faster in their orbits compared to planets farther away?

The Sun’s gravitational pull is stronger at closer distances, causing planets to move faster.


400

A student observes that a charged object slightly attracts a neutral object. What does this suggest about how charges interact?

The charged object induces a temporary charge in the neutral object.


400

An engineer is testing the effectiveness of different materials in carrying electric current. What is the difference between a conductor and an insulator?

A conductor allows electric current to flow easily, while an insulator resists the flow of electricity.


400

A student tapes a magnet to a small car and moves the car near another magnet. Depending on how the magnets are positioned, the car either moves toward or away from the magnet. What explains this?

The direction of motion depends on whether the poles attract or repel each other.


500

A magnet is broken into two smaller pieces. A student thinks this means the magnet has lost its poles. Is this true? Why or why not?

No, each new piece still has a north and south pole because magnetic poles always come in pairs.

500

A spaceship is traveling between two planets of equal mass. At what point will the ship feel equal gravitational pull from both planets?

At the midpoint between them, where both gravitational forces are balanced.

500

If one object has twice the charge of another, how will the force between them compare to two objects with equal charge?

The force will be stronger because the amount of charge affects electric force.

500

A student wraps two different wires around a nail to make an electromagnet. One wire is thin, and the other is thick. Which wire will create a stronger magnetic field, and why?

The thicker wire will create a stronger magnetic field because it allows more current to flow through it.

500

A train engineer is designing a system to reduce friction between the train and the tracks. Why might they consider using magnets?

Magnetic forces can create levitation, reducing contact and friction between surfaces.