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C. Matter and Energy · Forces Causing Movement

Forces Causing Movement: Unit Review

A1.1 A1.2 A1.3 A1.4 A1.5 A2.1 A2.2 A3.1 A3.3 C1.1 C1.2 C2.1 C2.2 C2.3 C2.4About 40 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can describe contact and non-contact forces, including gravity, buoyancy, friction, magnetism and static electricity.
  • I can describe ways to exert a force and the changes forces cause.
  • I can identify how forces are used in daily life, including in First Nations and Inuit technologies.
  • I can explain how forces of nature and human activities can cause harm, and how people reduce it.

Words to know

force
A push or a pull.
contact force
A force that needs touching, like friction, buoyancy or a push from your hand.
non-contact force
A force that works across a gap: gravity, magnetism or static electricity.
magnitude
The size or strength of a force.
erosion
When wind or water carries away soil, sand or rock.
safety device
Something designed to protect people from harmful forces, like a helmet.

Let's review!

You have become a real force detective! You learned about contact and non-contact forces: gravity, buoyancy, friction, magnetism and static electricity. You found many ways to exert a force, measured how bigger forces make bigger changes, spotted forces in daily life and in First Nations and Inuit technologies, studied forces of nature, and designed a safety device.

This review has a few questions from every lesson. Try each one, then press Show answer to check. If a part feels tricky, go back to that lesson.

FORCESa push or a pullCONTACT (touch)NON-CONTACT (gap)push or pullfrictionbuoyancygravitymagnetismstatic electricity
The whole unit in one picture: every force is a push or a pull, and each one is either contact or non-contact.

What Is a Force? Contact and Non-Contact Forces

1

What is the difference between a contact force and a non-contact force?

2

Sort: a hand pushing a door; gravity pulling a leaf down; a sled rubbing on snow.

3

Name the three non-contact forces.

Gravity and Buoyancy: Pulling Down, Pushing Up

1

A rubber duck floats. Which two forces act on it, and which way does each act?

2

Why does a flat sheet of paper fall more slowly than a crumpled one?

3

Why does a rock feel lighter under water?

Friction: The Rubbing Force

1

What does friction do to a sliding hockey puck?

2

Which makes more friction: a rubber mat or smooth ice?

3

A toy car rolled 20 cm on carpet and 90 cm on tile. Which surface had less friction? How much farther did it go?

4

Give one way friction helps and one way it is a problem.

Magnetism: Pulling Without Touching

1

Will a magnet attract a steel paper clip? An aluminum pop can?

2

What happens when two north poles are brought together?

3

A magnet pulls a clip through 5 sheets of paper but not through 30. Why?

Static Electricity: The Balloon Force

1

How do you make a balloon pull up bits of paper?

2

Two rubbed balloons hang side by side. What do they do?

3

What is lightning, and what is the safety rule?

Ways to Exert a Force

1

Is stretching an elastic band a push or a pull? Is squeezing a sponge a push or a pull?

2

What is tension?

3

Describe kicking a ball using: What kind? What exerts it? Which way?

startstillstopchange directionspeed upslow downchange shape
The six changes a force can cause. A bigger force makes a bigger change.

Forces Change Motion and Shape

1

Name the six changes a force can cause.

2

A soft puff moves a paper ball 10 cm. Will a hard puff move it more or less? Why?

3

Both tug-of-war teams pull equally hard. Are the forces balanced or unbalanced? Does the rope move?

4

Code: "if answer = 2 then move 20 steps". What should the line for answer = 4 say if the pattern continues?

Forces in Our Daily Lives

1

How does friction help you walk?

2

Why did Inuit sled builders put a thin coat of ice on qamutik runners?

3

How do snowshoes help?

Forces of Nature and Our Environment

1

Name one force of nature and one effect it has on the built environment.

2

How do trees on a hillside help prevent erosion?

3

Name one human action that reduces flooding and one that makes it worse.

Staying Safe from Forces: Design a Safety Device

1

How does a seatbelt protect you in a sudden stop?

2

How does a helmet protect your head?

3

What do engineers do after testing a prototype?

4

What should you do if you hit your head hard?

Just for fun

Which force is always ready to let you down?

Gravity! But it also keeps you from floating off into space, so we forgive it.

How to use this review

  • Do the review in two short sittings if your child gets tired. Each section matches one lesson.
  • Keep a few real objects nearby (a fridge magnet, a toy car, a balloon blown up by a grown-up, a sponge, a bowl of water) so your child can test and show answers.
  • Ask "Which force is it? Is it contact or non-contact? How do you know?" Good answers name the force and explain.
  • Note which section had mistakes and revisit that lesson's activity.
Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

Which is a non-contact force?

2.

A boat floats because...

3.

On which surface will a toy car roll the farthest?

4.

Which will a magnet attract?

5.

How do you give a balloon static electricity?

6.

Squeezing a snowball is a...

7.

A bigger force on a ball usually makes it...

8.

Why does a qamutik slide more easily with iced runners?

9.

Which human action helps reduce flooding?

10.

Which safety device cushions a bump to the head?

For parents and teachers

Use mistakes to choose what to revisit. Each review section matches one lesson.

  • Mixes up contact and non-contact forces, or calls friction non-contact: revisit What Is a Force? Contact and Non-Contact Forces and repeat the touching test.
  • Thinks heavy things always fall faster, or can't explain floating and sinking: revisit Gravity and Buoyancy: Pulling Down, Pushing Up and redo the paper drop and the floating bottle.
  • Thinks a longer roll means more friction, or can't name helpful uses of friction: revisit Friction: The Rubbing Force and redo the ramp test.
  • Thinks magnets attract all metals, or mixes up attract and repel: revisit Magnetism: Pulling Without Touching and redo the magnet hunt with aluminum foil.
  • Thinks static only pulls, or can't connect static and lightning: revisit Static Electricity: The Balloon Force.
  • Can't say whether squeezing, stretching or twisting is a push or pull, or forgets forces from tools, animals and nature: revisit Ways to Exert a Force.
  • Leaves out speed or shape changes, mixes up balanced and unbalanced, or can't spot a code bug: revisit Forces Change Motion and Shape.
  • Can't find forces in everyday routines, or can't explain the qamutik runners or snowshoes: revisit Forces in Our Daily Lives and keep a force diary.
  • Mixes up natural and built environments, or only sees people as causing harm: revisit Forces of Nature and Our Environment and redo the erosion model.
  • Can't explain how a seatbelt or helmet works, or skips the improve step: revisit Staying Safe from Forces: Design a Safety Device and redo the crash test.

A few mistakes are normal. Praise your child for naming the force and explaining how they know.