Forces & Motion
What do we call forces that do not cause a change in motion because they balance each other?
Balanced Forces
What happens between two magnets when opposite poles face each other?
They attract (pull together).
What does it mean when an animal "survives well" in a habitat? Give one short example.
t can find food, shelter, and reproduce there; example: a fish in a clean pond.
List the four life stages that all organisms have in common.
Birth, growth, reproduction, death.
What is one kind of data you could collect about today's weather?
Temperature, wind, precipitation, cloud cover, etc.
Give one example of an unbalanced force changing an object's motion.
Example: Pushing a stalled toy car so it starts moving (unbalanced force causes change).
Ask a question a scientist might investigate about how magnets interact without touching. (Write it as a testable question.)
Example: How does distance between two magnets affect how strongly they pull on each other?
Name one way a habitat change could make a place better or worse for a plant or animal.
Example: If a forest is cut down, animals that need trees may decline.
What is an example of a trait an offspring can inherit from its parent?
Eye color, leaf shape, fur pattern.
HHow can a graph or table help describe the weather during a season? (One sentence.)
A table or graph shows patterns (like more rain in certain months) so we can predict future weather.
True or false: If two forces on an object add up to zero, the object cannot start moving from rest. Explain briefly
True. If net force = 0, motion does not change; an object at rest stays at rest.
Describe one real-world problem that could be solved using magnets (one sentence).
Example: Use magnets to keep a sliding door closed without electricity.
Use evidence idea: Give one type of evidence you could collect to show an animal can survive in a habitat.
Observations like counts of animals, notes on food availability, or measurements of shelter.
Describe one way the environment can influence a trait (one sentence).
Example: Sunlight can make plants grow taller (environment changes trait expression).
Give one example of how rainfall can change the land
Rainfall can cause erosion and move soil downhill.
A toy car rolls down a ramp and speeds up. Which type of force (balanced or unbalanced) is acting on the car and why?
Unbalanced — gravity and component of weight cause acceleration down the ramp.
Design a simple test (one or two steps) to show whether a paperclip is magnetic.
Place a paperclip near a magnet; if it moves toward the magnet, it is magnetic.
Construct a short argument (2–3 sentences) that explains why some organisms cannot survive in a certain habitat. Include one piece of evidence.
Example argument: The desert is too dry for frogs because there is little water; I observed no frog eggs in local dry ponds.
Look at two similar plants where one grows taller because of more sunlight. Explain which factor is inheritance and which is environment (one sentence each).
Inheritance: seed type determines potential height; Environment: more sunlight causes taller growth.
Make a claim about one design solution that could reduce the impact of a flooding hazard (one sentence), and give a reason.
Build raised barriers or levees to keep water away from homes; this reduces flooding damage.
Plan a simple classroom investigation (one-sentence procedure) that would show the effect of balanced and unbalanced forces on a toy vehicle.
Example answer: Roll the same toy car down two ramps, one smooth and one with a small block placed to create a bump; record whether the car stops or keeps moving to show unbalanced force changes motion.
Explain why a magnet can move a paperclip without touching it (use the idea of cause and effect in one or two sentences).
Because a magnetic field acts over a distance and exerts a force on the metal, causing the paperclip to move.
A wetland becomes drier over time. Make a claim about how this change might affect the types of plants and animals that live there and give one reason.
Claim: Fewer wetland plants and water-dependent animals will live there because they need wet soil and water to survive.
Use evidence to explain how variation in a trait might help some individuals survive better than others (2–3 sentences).
Example: If some beetles have darker shells (variation) that help them hide better, predators eat fewer dark beetles, so dark beetles survive more and can reproduce more.
Obtain and combine information: Name two places (regions) that have different climates and one way their weather patterns differ.
Tropical rainforest (hot, rainy year-round) vs. desert (hot, dry); one has high rainfall, the other has very low rainfall.