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Science Quiz - Forces 01 (Questions)

Dive into the world of forces with this KS2 Science quiz! We'll explore air resistance, gravity, upthrust, and friction – the first of three quizzes on these amazing pushes and pulls.

Forces, like gravity and friction, are everywhere, making things change. Though we can't see them, we see their effects. Earth orbits the Sun because of gravity, and magnets move needles in compasses. Ever wondered how forces affect a boat on water or slow down a car? Test your knowledge in this fun Forces quiz!

Discover the Fun of Learning with Quizzes!
1. What is a force?
[ ] A source of energy
[ ] A push or a pull
[ ] A magnet
[ ] A measurement
2. In a diagram, a force is represented by what?
[ ] An X
[ ] A circle
[ ] A tick
[ ] An arrow
3. What are forces measured in?
[ ] Newtons
[ ] Kilometres
[ ] Millilitres
[ ] Degrees Celsius
4. Which of the following would you use when measuring force?
[ ] A ruler
[ ] A hygrometer
[ ] A forcemeter
[ ] A thermometer
5. Which of the following is not a force?
[ ] Electricity
[ ] Gravity
[ ] Upthrust
[ ] Friction
6. Forces can cause objects to change what?
[ ] Their speed
[ ] Their direction
[ ] Their shape
[ ] All of the above
7. If you roll a ball across the carpet, which forces will cause it to slow down and then stop?
[ ] The push from your hand and gravity
[ ] Magnetic pull and upthrust
[ ] Gravity, friction and air resistance
[ ] Upthrust and air resistance
8. In which direction does gravity exert force (as experienced by people or objects on Earth)?
[ ] Up
[ ] Down
[ ] Both up and down
[ ] Gravity can exert force in any direction
9. What causes a backpack full of books to feel heavy when you lift it?
[ ] Friction
[ ] Air resistance
[ ] Upthrust and friction
[ ] Mass and gravity
10. Which unit should be used to measure mass (the amount of matter an object contains)?
[ ] Grams
[ ] Newtons
[ ] Centimetres
[ ] Degrees Celsius

You can find more about this topic by visiting BBC Bitesize - What is a force?

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Science Quiz - Forces 01 (Answers)
1. What is a force?
[ ] A source of energy
[x] A push or a pull
[ ] A magnet
[ ] A measurement
A force is always exerted either as a push or a pull
2. In a diagram, a force is represented by what?
[ ] An X
[ ] A circle
[ ] A tick
[x] An arrow
When labelling a diagram, you use arrows to show the direction of a force
3. What are forces measured in?
[x] Newtons
[ ] Kilometres
[ ] Millilitres
[ ] Degrees Celsius
The newton is named after the famous scientist Isaac Newton who you may have heard of
4. Which of the following would you use when measuring force?
[ ] A ruler
[ ] A hygrometer
[x] A forcemeter
[ ] A thermometer
Another name for a forcemeter is a Newtonmeter
5. Which of the following is not a force?
[x] Electricity
[ ] Gravity
[ ] Upthrust
[ ] Friction
Electricity is a type of energy
6. Forces can cause objects to change what?
[ ] Their speed
[ ] Their direction
[ ] Their shape
[x] All of the above
Forces can speed things up and slow them down, push or pull them in a new direction, or squash and stretch them!
7. If you roll a ball across the carpet, which forces will cause it to slow down and then stop?
[ ] The push from your hand and gravity
[ ] Magnetic pull and upthrust
[x] Gravity, friction and air resistance
[ ] Upthrust and air resistance
Gravity pulls the ball against the carpet. The ball rubs against the carpet, which is friction, and the air around the ball also rubs against it
8. In which direction does gravity exert force (as experienced by people or objects on Earth)?
[ ] Up
[x] Down
[ ] Both up and down
[ ] Gravity can exert force in any direction
Gravity pulls all objects (on the Earth's surface or in its atmosphere) down towards the centre of the Earth - the Earth's gravity even keeps the Moon in orbit because it pulls the Moon towards its centre (otherwise the Moon would travel in a straight line out into space)
9. What causes a backpack full of books to feel heavy when you lift it?
[ ] Friction
[ ] Air resistance
[ ] Upthrust and friction
[x] Mass and gravity
The force of gravity acting on mass (the amount of matter in an object) is called weight - which is, of course, what makes an object feel heavy
10. Which unit should be used to measure mass (the amount of matter an object contains)?
[x] Grams
[ ] Newtons
[ ] Centimetres
[ ] Degrees Celsius
Although weight is often given in kilograms and grams, this measurement really refers to mass. Weight is dependent on gravity and can change if the force of gravity is different (you wouldn't weigh the same on the Moon as you do on Earth, because the Moon has less gravity)