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Force and Motion Experiments

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Force and Motion Experiments

At a local bakery, Tui and Losa are testing how a trolley moves. Read the investigation, then use the evidence to answer the questions. A force is a push or pull. Mass describes how much matter an object contains.

The test

Tui pushed the same trolley along the same smooth floor each time. Losa used a spring scale to apply a steady push. They measured how far the trolley travelled in 3 seconds. They repeated each test and found similar results.

Load on trolley

Push

Distance in 3 seconds

1 bread tray

gentle

90 cm

3 bread trays

gentle

45 cm

1 bread tray

strong

150 cm

Read the evidence

Use the results table above. Think about what Tui and Losa changed and what they kept the same.

1.In the first two tests, what changed, and what stayed the same?

2.Which trolley travelled furthest in 3 seconds? Choose one.

The trolley with 1 tray and a gentle push
The trolley with 3 trays and a gentle push
The trolley with 1 tray and a strong push

3.Compare the first two results. What does the evidence suggest happens when the same gentle push moves a trolley with more load?

4.True or false: In the first and third tests, the trolley had the same load, so the different distances show that push strength can affect motion.

5.Complete the science sentence: A stronger push is a greater . For the same trolley, it can make the trolley speed up more quickly.

Plan a fair test

Tui wants to find out whether a heavier trolley is harder to speed up. A fair test changes one thing at a time and keeps other important conditions the same.

6.Which test would best answer Tui's question? Choose one.

Use the same gentle push and floor, but compare an empty trolley with a loaded one
Use a gentle push for the empty trolley and a strong push for the loaded trolley
Test each trolley on a different floor

7.Name one thing, other than the load, that Tui and Losa should keep the same to make their comparison fair.

8.Losa says, “The trolley with 3 trays must have travelled further because it was heavier.” Use the table to explain why this claim is not supported by their gentle-push tests.

9.Predict what might happen if Tui gave the trolley with 3 trays a stronger push. Explain your prediction using the idea of force and mass.

10.Draw a simple trolley and show a push to the right with an arrow. Add a label for the force and write one sentence explaining how changing the push could change the trolley's motion.