Forces in air and water

Forces make things move. If you drop your pencil, it falls to the floor.
This is because the force of gravity pulls falling objects towards the centre
of Earth. Friction is an invisible contact force that slows moving objects.
Objects moving through air or through water are slowed by forces too.

In this topic we will learn:

• that unsupported objects fall towards the
Earth because of the force of gravity acting
between the Earth and the falling object
• that weight is a force and forces are measured in newtons (N)
• that more than one force can act on an object at the same time
• that friction can be used to improve how well an object grips
a surface
• that friction acts on moving objects to slow them down
• that friction can act between solid surfaces and air and water
• that air resistance and water resistance are forces that reduce the
speed at which objects move
• about the effects of these three forces acting between moving
surfaces
• about how the shape of objects can be used to reduce the effects
of water and air resistance, including the term streamlined.

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 Topic 5 | Forces in air and water

Here are some key words to help you

force direction balanced

gravity invisible

mass weight newton

newton meter grip

drag streamlined

Choose two key words from the box above.

Write or draw what they mean.

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Forces acting on an object

1 a) Write one word in each space to complete the sentences.

A push is when you move an object

from you.

A pull is when you move an object you.

Pushes and pulls are .

We use force arrows to show how strong a force is and the
in which the force is acting.

b) Name some objects you move with a push or a pull, or both.

push pull both

2 a) Explain why this box does not move.

b) Suggest two ways the children could change what they are
doing that will make the box move.

1.

2.

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 Topic 5 | Forces in air and water

3 In this game, the red tie in the middle of a rope is above a stone.

To win, one team must pull the rope with enough force to make the
tie move to their side of the stone.

Picture 1

a) In Picture 1, no one is winning.

(i) What does this tell you about the force with which each
team is pulling?

(ii) Draw two force arrows on Picture 1 to show the pulling

forces.

Picture 2

b) (i) Draw two force arrows on Picture 2.

(ii) Explain what is happening in Picture 2.

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Gravity

1 a) Draw an apple falling from this tree.

b) Name the force that acts on the falling apple.

c) Draw four apple trees in different places around this picture

of Earth.

Show one apple falling from each tree.

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 Topic 5 | Forces in air and water

2 a) Gravity is a non-contact force. What does this mean?

b) Name another non-contact force.

3 Complete the sentences about gravity.

Gravity is an invisible force that everything down

towards the of the .

The force of gravity is weaker on the than

on Earth.

Gravitational forces keep all the planets in

around the .

Gravitational forces keep the Moon in around

Earth too.

4 This learner jumps into the air.

a) Why does she come back down again?

b) If Earth did not have gravity, predict what would happen when
the learner jumps.

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Weight

1 a) Name this piece of equipment.

b) Complete the sentences about mass.

All objects are made of .

The amount of matter in an object is called its .

The more matter in an object, the

its mass.

We measure mass in (g) and

(kg).

2 a) Name this piece of equipment.

N

b) Complete the sentences about weight.

Weight is a .

Weight is the force with which . acts

on an object.

We measure forces in (N).

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 Topic 5 | Forces in air and water

c) Write the weight that each piece of equipment shows.

0 0 0
N 10 N 1 N 20
20 2 40
30 3 60
40 4 80
50 5 100
60 6 120
70 7 140
80 8 160
90 9 180
100 10 200

N
N

0 0 0
N 10 N 10 N 20
20 20 40
30 30 60
40 40 80
50 50 100
60 60 120
70 70 140
80 80 160
90 90 180
100 100 200

N
N
N

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Friction

1 Circle the two words or phrases that describe friction.

a contact force    absorbent    a non-contact force

invisible    rough    transparent

2 This car is moving along a road.

a) Circle two places where friction is acting between solid

surfaces.

b) What does friction do to the car’s movement?

3 Write more friction or less friction above the correct toy car and
complete the sentence underneath.

car moving on smooth floor same car moving on rough floor

The rougher the surface, the the friction force.

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 Topic 5 | Forces in air and water

4 The forces acting on this box are balanced.

The box is not moving.

a) How do the force arrows show that the forces acting on the box
are balanced?

b) How can this person make the box move?

5 a) This boat is moving through water.

(i) Name one force that is

slowing the boat.

(ii) Draw an arrow on the picture to show the direction in

which this slowing force acts on the boat.

b) This aeroplane is moving through the air.

(i) Name the force that is slowing

the aeroplane.

(ii) Draw an arrow on the picture to show the direction in

which this slowing force acts on the aeroplane.

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Investigating grip

1 Circle the shoe that has most grip.

2 Describe each picture using the word grip in all four answers.

tyre chains

diving board

walking in mud

steps

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 Topic 5 | Forces in air and water

3 Investigate the force that is needed to make

different shoes just start to move.

a) What will you change?

b) What will you measure?

c) Write two things that you will keep the same each time.

1.

2.

d) Why should you repeat your measurements for each shoe?

e) Draw a results table and write your results in it.

f) Write a conclusion.

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Reducing frictional forces

1 The picture shows some forces acting on a moving car.

a) Name each force. One has been done for you.

weight

b) Which force is caused by gravity pulling on the car?

c) Circle all the arrows that show forces slowing the car down.

2 The pictures show the shape of two cars.

car from 1930s car from 2020s

a) Complete the sentence with one word to compare their shapes.

The 2020s car is more .

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 Topic 5 | Forces in air and water

b) How does this difference in shape help the 2020s car when
it moves?

3 Do some research for yourself about a sport where reducing friction is
important. There are some ideas in your textbook.

Include a drawing, or stick in a picture, as well as using words.

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Investigating streamlining

1 Investigate how fast different shapes move through liquid.

a) Write your scientific question.

b) What will you change?

c) Describe what you will measure.

d) (i) How much modelling clay will you use to keep each
shape the same mass?

(ii) Draw the shapes you will use in the space below.

e) Write two ways to make this a fair comparison.

1.

2.

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 Topic 5 | Forces in air and water

2 Draw and label your equipment with one of the shapes inside it.

3 a) Draw the fastest shape and the slowest shape.

fastest slowest

b) Suggest why these two shapes moved at different speeds.

4 Suggest one improvement to your investigation.

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What have I learned?

1 I can explain that unsupported objects fall towards

the Earth because of the force of gravity acting
between the Earth and the falling object.

I know this because I can draw a force arrow

to show the direction in which gravity acts on a
falling apple.

2 I understand that weight is a force and forces are measured in

newtons (N).

I know this because I can read this force meter.

3 I understand that more than one force can act on an object at the
same time.

I know this because I can draw force arrows to show weight and
air resistance on this moving car.

4 I understand how friction can be used to improve how well an object

grips a surface.

I know this because I can write two ways that we use grip to stop us
from slipping.

1.

2.

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 Topic 5 | Forces in air and water

5 I know that friction acts on moving objects to slow them down.

I understand that friction can act between solid surfaces and air
and water.

I know this because I can show

where friction acts to slow this
moving car.

6 I understand that air resistance and water resistance are forces that
reduce the speed at which objects move.

I can also identify the effects of forces acting between moving

surfaces.

I know this because I can draw force arrows to show how

air resistance and water resistance act on these objects.

7 I can describe how the shape of objects can be used to reduce the
effects of water and air resistance, including the term streamlined.

I know this because I can draw a shape that moves quickly through
wallpaper paste and one that moves more slowly.

quickly slowly

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