Forces and Changes in Motion: SC.5.P.13.1
1) Brian and Emily are testing different paper airplane designs to see which will allow a plane to go the
farthest. Emily folds her plane and attaches a paperclip to the front of it. After she throws the plane, it
travels about fifty feet and then starts to fall to the ground.
Why does the plane eventually fall to the ground?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The force of air resistance stops acting on the plane.
The plane was not designed to carry a load like the paperclip.
The force of gravity is greater than the forces keeping the plane in the air.
The paperclip creates a magnetic force that attracts the plane to the ground.
2) Aaron is playing with a soccer ball at the top of a hill. Aaron kicks the ball and it rolls down the hill.
Which of the following best describes what happens as the ball rolls?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The force of gravity pulls the ball downhill.
The force of friction causes the ball to roll faster down the hill.
The force of gravity is balanced by air resistance acting on the ball.
The force of friction is greater than the force of gravity acting on the ball.
3) Because the force of gravity is so strong, it appears to attract all objects equally, regardless of mass.
Which of the following is illustrated by this idea?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Earth orbits the Sun in the same amount of time it takes the Moon to orbit Earth.
A rubber ball will bounce much higher than a wooden ball, even if they weigh the same.
Magnets can both repel and attract each other, depending on how they come into contact.
A bowling ball and a peanut will fall to the ground at the same rate when someone drops
them.
4) While Carmen is at the park with her family, she walks up to a wishing well. She throws a penny down
the well, and she hears a splash at the bottom. Which of the following best describes what happens as
the penny falls?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The force of gravity is equal to the air resistance acting on the penny.
The magnetic force of the well attracts the penny and causes it to fall even faster.
The force of friction acts against air resistance, causing the penny to fall even faster.
The force of air resistance acts against gravity, but it is not enough to overcome gravity.
Forces and Changes in Motion: SC.5.P.13.1
5) Which of the following explains why a parachute makes a person falling from a great height fall more
slowly?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The parachute reduces the friction in the air.
The parachute pulls upward, so the fall is slower.
The parachute causes air resistance, which slows the fall.
The parachute decreases the pull of gravity on the person wearing it.
6) Gravity gets weaker as you travel farther from the surface of Earth. Which of the following examples
correctly illustrates this idea?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Satellites that orbit Earth will always fall back to Earth eventually.
Astronauts can float because Earth's gravity is not as strong in orbit.
Airplanes can fly because there is much less gravity high in the sky.
There is no gravity on the Moon because it is too far away from Earth.
7) Magnets have a negative and positive pole. What happens if you try to touch the positive ends of two
magnets together?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The positive poles will repel each other.
The positive poles will be attracted to each other.
The positive poles will neither attract nor repel each other.
The positive poles will create gravity and attract other objects.
8) A toy car rolling along different surfaces will experience different amounts of friction. The toy car
would encounter the most friction when rolling on which of the following surfaces?
A.
B.
C.
D.
a sandy beach
a sheet of glass
a smooth wooden board
a piece of construction paper
Forces and Changes in Motion: SC.5.P.13.1
9) Which of the following best explains why a person standing on the Moon can jump higher than a
person standing on Earth?
A.
B.
C.
D.
There is no gravity on the Moon.
Everything has less mass on the Moon.
Earth's gravity is very weak on the Moon.
The Moon's gravitational pull is less than Earth's.
10) Magnets have a negative and positive pole. What happens if you try to touch the positive pole of
one magnet to the negative pole of another magnet?
A.
B.
C.
D.
The negative and positive poles will repel each other.
The negative and positive poles will cancel each other out.
The negative and positive poles will be attracted to each other.
The negative and positive poles will neither attract nor repel each other.
Forces and Changes in Motion: SC.5.P.13.1
ANSWER KEY
1. C
2. A
3. D
4. D
5. C
6. B
7. A
8. A
9. D
10.C