Scope Assessment: Investigating Forces

Students performed an experiment in which they rolled toy cars with different masses down the same ramp three times. Which testable question could the students be investigating? 

• 1. Does the surface of a ramp affect the distance a toy car travels?

• 1. How is a toy car affected by magnets? 

• Does the mass of a toy car affect the distance it travels?

• 1. How does the ramp height affect the distance a toy car travels? 

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

A student gathers three identical balls, three identical ramps, and a meterstick. The student covers each ramp with a different material. By changing the surface over which a ball rolls, students could investigate the effect of which of the following?

• Magnetism

• Electricity

• Rotation

• Friction

A student sets a block at the top of a wooden ramp. The student pushes the block. As the block slides down the ramp, it slows down and then comes to a stop. What conclusion can the student make about why this happened? 

• The force of friction was acting on the block as it slid down the ramp.

• 1. The force of friction was acting on the student as the block slid down. 

• The force of magnetism was acting on the ramp as the block slid down it.

• 1. There is no force acting on the block or the ramp. 

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

4. A student used a magnet, a ruler, and a paper clip for the investigation shown. 

What would most likely be the question they were trying to answer?

• 1. How many paper clips can a bar magnet pick up? 

• 1. How many centimeters apart can a magnet attract a paper clip? 

• What kinds of magnets are attracted to paper clips?

• 1. What items are attracted to a magnet? 

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-3

NGSS.MS-PS2-5

Students were testing the effects of gravity and came up with a prediction that the higher a ramp is, the faster a toy car will travel 1 m from the ramp. Which of the following should be added to the procedure to make sure the test is fair?  

• 1. After each trial, add 10 g more mass to the car. 

• 1. After each trial, use a different car. 

• After each trial, change the height of the ramp by 10 cm.

• After each trial, cover the ramp with different surfaces.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

6. Students test how friction affects the speed of a radio-controlled car. They create four tracks of the same length with different surfaces on each. The time it takes for the car to travel to the end of each track is recorded and shown in a bar graph. 

7. What can be concluded from these results? Select two correct answers. 

• 1. The more friction on the track, the more time it takes to reach the end. 

• 1. The more friction on the track, the less time it takes to reach the end. 

• 1. The car on the gravel surface took the least amount of time. 

• 1. Friction does not affect the speed of the car. 

• 1. The surface that was covered in fabric caused less friction than the surface that was covered in sandpaper. 

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Match the following

• Gravity

• • A force that causes objects with mass to attract each other

  • A force works to pull objects together.

  • A ball rolling down a ramp is an example of this force.

• Magnetism

• • A force that resists the motion of two surfaces sliding across one another

  • This force works to slow and stop motion.

  • A rolling skateboard that comes to a stop is an example of this force.

• Friction

• • A force that can push apart or pull together two objects

  • The attracted objects are made of iron or steel.

  • Separating iron filings from sand using a special metal object is an example of this force. 

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

8. The two pictures show part of a magnet investigation. Each time the investigation was performed, the toy car started at the zero mark on the metric ruler. 

9. Which statement about this investigation can be supported by the results shown? 

• 1. The horseshoe magnet had greater magnetic strength than the bar magnet did. 

• 1. The results are invalid because they did not place the magnets close enough to the toy car. 

• The bar magnet had greater magnetic strength than the horseshoe magnet did.

• 1. This investigation tests the strength of gravity on the toy car. 

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-3

NGSS.MS-PS2-5

9. Part A 
   Students are investigating how mass affects the force needed to move an object. They attach a wooden block to a spring scale, place a 10 g mass on top of the block, and pull it 50 cm across a tabletop. As they do this, they observe the force shown on the spring scale. Which of the following describes the next step they should take in their investigation? 

• 1. Pull the spring scale a longer distance. 

• 1. Repeat the same steps, and cover the tabletop with a carpet square. 

• 1. Repeat the same steps using a heavier mass. 

• Attach a toy car to the spring scale, and pull it 50 cm with the spring scale.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-1

NGSS.MS-PS2-2

Part B 
Which statement best explains the answer to Part A? 

• 5. You use a toy car to measure the force with the spring scale. 

• 5. You use a heavier mass so that you are just testing one variable. 

• You repeat the same steps with the carpet square so that it is a valid investigation. 

• 5. You pull the spring scale a longer distance so that you have valid results. 

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-2