Forces and Motion Study Guide

NEWTON’S 3 LAWS

1. Describe Newton’s first law of inertia using an example. As a car comes to a quick stop, your body will continue to

move forward.

2. Describe Newton’s second law using an example. A heavier box would require more force to move than a light box.

3. Draw the triangle we use to help solve Newton’s second law problems.

4. Newton’s Third Law states that forces are said to always come in pairs. Describe what this
means using words or pictures. For every action, there is an equal and opposite
reaction. If a book is pushing on a table with a force of 10 N, the table is also pushing back up on the
book with the same force.

5. Using Newton’s first law, explain why it is harder for a large cat to change direction more
quickly than a mouse it is chasing. The cat has a larger mass, therefore it has more inertia to overcome to
change its position

6. A bottle rocket is traveling with a force of 100N and has a mass of 2kg, what’s its acceleration? Show all work a=F/m
a= 100N / 2 kg = 50 m/s/s

7. Calculate the force on a 10 kg ball rolling with an acceleration rate of 5 m/s². Show all work
F=ma F= 10kg x 5 m/s/s = 50 N

FRICTION

8. What are 2 ways friction can be increased? Increasing the mass of the object , and making the surface

rougher

9. Friction works in which direction to the motion of the object (the same, opposite or something else?) circle one

10. Object B is sitting still. It has a mass of 20 kg. The force of friction (static) acting on B is 200 N. If 350N of force is applied
to Object B to get it moving, what acceleration would you expect? Show all work
Net force = 350-200 - 150N
a=F/m , so a = 150N / 20kg = 7.5m/s/s

200 N of 350 N of

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BALANCED/UNBALANCED FORCES

11. A force is defined as a ___push____ or a ___pull______

12. Place each of the following statements in the column below in which they belong (balanced or unbalanced):
a) The object slows down. b) The object has a constant velocity. c) Net Force = 0
d) The object accelerates. e) The object changes direction. f) Net Force does not = 0
g) Object is not in motion. h) The object speeds up.

Balanced Forces Unbalanced Forces

b) The object has a constant velocity. a) The object slows down.

c) Net Force = 0 d) The object accelerates.
g) Object is not in motion e) The object changes direction.
f) Net Force does not = 0
h) The object speeds up.

For each of the following problems, give the net force on the block (include direction), and the acceleration, including units. SHOW
ALL WORK and include correct units

15 N 30 13. Balanced/Unbalanced forces? __unbalanced____

5k
g Net force? __15N to the right___ a=F/m _a= 15N/5kg=3 m/s/s__

15 N 14. Balanced/Unbalanced forces? ___unbalanced___

3kg
Net force? _30N to the right__ a=F/m _a= 30N/3kg=10 m/s/s_

5N
15. Balanced/Unbalanced forces? __balanced____
3kg
Net force? _0N____ a=F/m _a = 0N / 3kg = 0m/s/s____

16. Using the image below, describe how the object will move based off of the force arrows provided. The object will move
towards the left since that arrow is longer, meaning it has a greater force. The 2 arrows under the box are
equal and opposite so they cancel each other out essentially.

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COLLISIONS

18. Use the image to the left to answer the following question:
Objects 1 and 2 are both moving at a speed of 2m/s. Which
one will have a greater change in velocity after the two
collide? During the collision, both objects exert the
same force on one another (equal & opposite).
But, because object 1 is less massive, it will have
a greater change in velocity after the collision
(acceleration).

19. Use the image below to answer the following question. During this scenario, Object A is colliding with Object B. Object A has
a mass of 4 kg and object B has a mass of 1 kg. If object B is hit with 112 N of force from Object A, What would be the force on
Object A during the collision? The forces would be equal and opposite because they follow Newton’s third law.
The force on object B would be 112N

112N
A B
?

ENERGY

20. In a roller coaster, explain why the first hill needs to be the highest point. Use the terms Kinetic energy and
Gravitational Potential energy in your answer. The highest point in a roller coaster has the largest amount of GPE
and at the bottom of the first hill is the greatest KE. As the car moved down the first hill the GPE is converted
to KE. The first hill needs to be the highest so there is enough energy to carry the car throughout the roller
coaster.

27. Thinking back to the energy skate park, when you increase the mass of the skater you __________
(increase/decrease) the total energy. When the skater moves down the ramp, _PE_energy transforms into _KE__
energy.

28. To test the effect of mass and Kinetic Energy, students added mass to a cart, released the cart from a ramp and
measured the distance a block traveled when the cart hit it (like in Activity #4). Identify the independent & dependent
variables of this investigation. The IV is the amount of mass, since that is what is changing in each trial. The
distance the block moves in the DV.

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MAGNETISM

1. Explain how a paper clip can become a temporary magnet. (Use this reading as a reference)

The domains of the paperclip become temporarily aligned when in contact with a permanent magnet.

2. Describe the direction magnetic field lines flow.

North to South

3. Explain how fields change as distance increases.

They become weaker!

4. What would the magnetic field look like between these two magnets? Draw in the field lines by double clicking
the image below.

N S S N

5. What would the magnetic field look like between these two magnets? Draw in the field lines by double clicking
the image below.
N S
S N
ELECTRICITY

1. Describe the effects of static electric force.

Can attract and repel matter. Opposite charges attract & same charges repel. Works on any matter that has an
electrical charge.

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 2. Fill in the chart below:

Gravitational Force Magnetic Force Electric Force Gravitational, Magnetic,

and Electric

● Only attracts ● Opposite poles (north ● Opposite charges ● Act at a distance (from
& south) attracts & (positive & negative) a field)
● Works on all matter same poles repel attracts & same
charges repel ● Strength decreases
● Strength increases ● Only works on certain with increased
with increased mass metals ● Works on charged distance
particles in matter
● Strength does not
depend on mass ● Strength depends on
amount of charge (not
mass)