Exploring Forces and Energy Quiz

You are given four objects: a metal spoon, a wooden block, a plastic ball, and a rubber eraser. You need to find out which objects will sink or float in water. Describe a plan for how you would test and record the results, and explain what evidence you would use to decide if each object sinks or floats.

• Drop all objects in water at the same time and see which ones disappear.

• Place each object in water one at a time, observe if it stays on the surface or goes to the bottom, record your observations in a table, and use the evidence of floating or sinking to decide.

• Ask your friends which objects they think will float.

• Only test the metal spoon and assume the rest will do the same.

Tags

NGSS.3-5-ETS1-1

NGSS.3-5-ETS1-3

Imagine you have a magnet, a paperclip, a plastic spoon, and a coin. You want to find out which objects are magnetic. Describe a step-by-step plan for testing each object and explain how you would use your results as evidence to support your conclusion.

• Guess which objects are magnetic based on their color.

• Touch the magnet to each object, record which ones stick, and use that evidence to decide which are magnetic.

• Only test the paperclip and assume the rest are the same.

• Ask your teacher which objects are magnetic.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-3

NGSS.MS-PS2-5

You are given three unknown objects. You need to measure and compare their masses to find out which is the heaviest. Describe how you would plan and carry out this investigation, and explain how you would use your measurements as evidence.

• Hold each object and guess which is heaviest.

• Use a balance to measure the mass of each object, record the masses, and compare the numbers to decide which is heaviest.

• Ask your friend to tell you which is heaviest.

• Only measure one object and guess the rest.

You want to find out how temperature affects the way chocolate melts. Plan an investigation to test this, and explain how you would use your results as evidence to support your conclusion.

• Put chocolate in the sun and see what happens.

• Place chocolate in different places with different temperatures, record how fast it melts in each, and use the results to explain how temperature affects melting.

• Only test chocolate in the refrigerator.

• Ask someone else what happens to chocolate in heat.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS1-4

NGSS.MS-PS3-4

You are playing with a toy car and want to show how different forces can make it move. Describe an investigation you could plan to show the effects of pushing, pulling, and using a magnet on the car, and explain how you would use your observations as evidence.

• Push the car and see if it moves.

• Push, pull, and use a magnet on the car, observe how it moves each time, record your observations, and use them to explain the effects of each force.

• Only use a magnet and ignore other forces.

• Guess what will happen without testing.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

You notice that a ball rolls faster down a steep ramp than a gentle ramp. Plan an investigation to test how the steepness of a ramp affects the speed of a ball, and explain how you would use your results as evidence.

• Roll the ball down one ramp and guess the rest.

• Use ramps with different steepness, roll the ball down each, measure how fast it goes, record your results, and use them to explain the effect of ramp steepness on speed.

• Only use the steepest ramp.

• Ask your friend which ramp is best.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

You want to show how the speed of a moving object is related to its mechanical energy. Plan an experiment using a toy car and a ramp, and explain how you would use your observations as evidence.

• Let the car sit still and watch it.

• Release the car from different heights on the ramp, observe how fast it goes, record your observations, and use them to explain how speed and mechanical energy are related.

• Only use the lowest ramp height.

• Guess how fast the car will go.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

You are asked to identify examples of different types of energy in your home. Describe a plan for finding and recording examples of light, sound, thermal, and mechanical energy, and explain how you would use your evidence to support your choices.

• Guess which things use energy.

• Walk around your home, look for things that give off light, sound, heat, or move, write them down, and use your observations as evidence for each type of energy.

• Only look for light energy.

• Ask your parents for examples.

You want to show how a flashlight, a drum, a stove, and a wind-up toy each use different types of energy. Plan how you would demonstrate and record the type of energy each one uses, and explain how you would use your evidence to support your explanation.

• Guess what energy each object uses.

• Turn on or use each object, observe what happens (light, sound, heat, or movement), record your observations, and use them as evidence for the type of energy.

• Only use the flashlight.

• Ask your teacher for the answers.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

You are asked to build a model to show how the Sun, Earth, and Moon move in space. Describe how you would plan and construct your model, and explain how you would use it to explain their orbits.

• Draw a picture of the Sun only.

• Use balls or objects to represent the Sun, Earth, and Moon, arrange them to show their orbits, and use your model to explain how the Earth orbits the Sun and the Moon orbits the Earth.

• Only show the Earth and Moon.

• Guess how they move.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1