Key Stage 3 Science Book 1 Assessments
Forces and their Effects (Orange level)
1. What two pieces of information does a force arrow on a force diagram represent? [1 mark]
a) Whether a force is a contact or non-contact force
b) The relative size of a force
c) The direction the force acts
d) The exact point on an object where a force acts
2. What is the unit of measurement for force? [1 mark]
a) Pound
b) Newton
c) Kilogram
d) Tonne
3. What can a force do to a football? Choose three answers. [1 mark]
a) Change its size
b) Change its shape
c) Change its colour
d) Change its speed
e) Change its mass
4. Look at the table of data about the Earth, Moon and Mars. It shows what Phil’s mass and weight are
on the Earth and the Moon.
What would Phil’s mass be on Mars? [1 mark]
a) 100 kg
b) 50 kg
c) 1000 kg
d) 170 kg
© HarperCollinsPublishers 2014
Key Stage 3 Science Book 1 Assessments
5. Look at the table of data about the Earth, Moon and Mars. It shows what Phil’s mass and weight are
on the Earth and the Moon.
What would Phil’s weight be on Mars? [1 mark]
a) 38 N
b) 500 N
c) 170 N
d) 380 N
6. The picture shows a skydiver falling at terminal velocity, and the two forces acting on him.
Which of these statements best describes the two forces acting on him? [1 mark]
a) The weight force is larger than the air resistance force
b) The weight force is the same size as the air resistance force
c) The weight force is smaller than the air resistance force
d) It is not possible to say
© HarperCollinsPublishers 2014
Key Stage 3 Science Book 1 Assessments
7. Look at the picture. It shows three forces acting on a glider.
Match the force description to the force arrows A-C. [1 mark]
Lift
C
Air resistance (drag)
A
Weight
B
8. Why is it important that a glider is streamlined? [1 mark]
a) So it looks good
b) To reduce the weight of the glider
c) To reduce air resistance
d) To increase the lift force
9. The man in the picture is trying to lift the box using a lever, but the box is not moving. What could he
do to make the box move? Choose two answers. [1 mark]
a) Use a larger effort force
b) Move the load further away from the fulcrum
c) Use a longer lever
d) Use a taller fulcrum
© HarperCollinsPublishers 2014
Key Stage 3 Science Book 1 Assessments
10. What is meant in science by the term ‘elastic behaviour’? [1 mark]
a) Stretches when a force is applied
b) Bends when a force is applied
c) Returns to original shape when the force is removed
d) Breaks when a force is applied
11. Describe the forces that act on an arrow when it is in the air. How do these forces affect the
movement of the arrow? [4 marks]
12. A passenger aircraft flies 5550 kilometres from London to New York in seven and a half hours.
Calculate its average speed. [2 marks]
© HarperCollinsPublishers 2014
Key Stage 3 Science Book 1 Assessments
13. Two pupils investigated the force needed to slide a wooden block across a surface. They added an
additional load on top of the wooden block to find out how this changed the friction force. They plotted
their results on this graph.
Explain what their results show about the friction force. [2 marks]
14. Two pupils investigated the force needed to slide a wooden block across a surface. They added an
additional load on top of the wooden block to find out how this changed the friction force. They plotted
their results on this graph.
Predict the force needed to slide the block if it had an additional load of 7 kg. Explain how you get your
answer.
[2 marks]
© HarperCollinsPublishers 2014
Key Stage 3 Science Book 1 Assessments
15. Describe two examples of where a high frictional force is an advantage, and two examples where it is
a disadvantage. [4 marks]
16. Look at the picture of Alan and Becky on a see-saw.
Using ideas about forces and moments, explain two different ways Alan and Becky could make the seesaw balance. [2 marks]
17. State Hooke’s law and explain what is meant by the elastic limit. [2 marks]
18. James and his group are trying to measure the speed of cross country runners as they run past. The
group has a tape measure and a stop watch. What would they need to measure in order to calculate
the speed? [2 marks]
© HarperCollinsPublishers 2014