Grade 5 Science: Forces Acting on Structures and Mechanisms

What is a force?

• a push or pull
• speed or acceleration 
• potential or kinetic energy
• balanced or unbalanced force

When objects remain in the same place, it is called...

• gravity
• friction
• balanced force
• unbalanced force

What is the force that causes everything to be pulled down to the Earth?

• friction
• gravity
• balanced
• unbalanced

An unbalanced force is when objects move in one direction because the force is greater from that direction.

• true
• false

Friction helps objects to move easier.

• true
• false

Choose the BEST answer that describes how the mass of an object affects its motion.

• The greater the mass of an object, the slower the motion of the object.
• The greater the mass of an object, the faster the motion of the object.
• The greater the mass of an object, the greater the force to move the object.
• The greater the mass of an object, the greater the distance the object will travel.

Melissa and Gabe were testing the flight of leaves as they tossed them in the air.  The leaves would go up and then came to a rest on the ground.  What force made the leaves land on the ground?

• gravity
• friction
• air pressure
• mass

The 5th graders were playing a game of tug-of-war.  The class was divided equally with half the class on one side of the rope and the other half on the opposite side.  For 5 minutes the students pulled and pulled but neither side could pull the flag to one side or the other.  Choose the description of the forces during the 5th grade tug-of-war.

• The forces were unbalanced in the game.
• The forces were friction, gravity, and chemical energy.
• The students all had the same amount of strength.
• The forces were balanced in the game.

What happens when 2 equal forces act on an object in opposite directions?

• no movement; won't move

• Object will move in the direction of the force

• Object will move in the opposite direction of the force

• the object flies

This picture shows

• balanced
• unbalanced