Force and Motion

A Science AZ Physical Series

Word Count: 1,484

Written by Ron Fridell

Visit www.sciencea-z.com

www.sciencea-z.com

Force and
Motion

Key elements Used in This Book

The Big Idea: Force and motion are fundamental to all matter in the
universe. A force is anything that can push or pull on an object. Forces
influence objects that are at rest or that are already in motion. Isaac
Newtons three laws of motion involve inertia, mass, velocity, and
momentum. Key forces include gravity, friction, and magnetism. A force
is required to do work, and generating a force requires energy. Energy
can be stored as potential energy, or it can have kinetic energythe
energy of motion. Energy can also be converted and exchanged
through energy transfer. Objects move in predictable ways. By learning
about force and motion, we come to understand how using forces can
produce motions that allow us to be safe and to enjoy ourselves.
Key words: attract, direction, distance, electricity, electromagnetism, energy,
energy transfer, engine, force, friction, gravity, heat energy, inertia, kinetic
energy, law, lines of force, magnetism, mass, momentum, motion, potential
energy, reaction, rest, sound energy, speed, velocity, weight, work
Key comprehension skills: Cause and Effect
Other suitable comprehension skills: Classify information; compare and contrast;
elements of a genre; identify facts; interpret charts, graphs, and diagrams; main
idea and details
Key reading strategy: Visualize
Other suitable reading strategies: Ask and answer questions; connect to prior
knowledge; retell; summarize
Photo Credits:
Front cover: Corbis; back cover: James Steidl/Dreamstime.com; title page: iStockphoto.com/
Latta Pictures; page 3: iStockphoto.com/Scott Sharick; page 4: iStockphoto.com/Kristian Sekulic;
page 5 (top left): iStockphoto.com/Kim Gunkel; page 5 (top right): Pavel Siamionau/123RF;
page 5 (bottom): iStockphoto.com/Joshua Hodge Photography; page 6 (top): courtesy of NASA/
Dennis Sabo; page 6 (bottom): iStockphoto.com/otisabi; page 7 (top), 22 (top): Jupiterimages
Corporation; page 7 (bottom): Jean-Leon Huens/National Geographic Society/Corbis; page 8:
iStockphoto.com/Andreas Steinhart; page 9 (top): iStockphoto.com/Marko Roeper; page 9 (bottom):
iStockphoto.com/Andrey Artykov; page 10 (main): iStockphoto.com/Vernon Wiley; page 10 (inset):
Pavel Losevsky/123RF; page 11: iStockphoto.com/Kenneth Sponsler; page 12: iStockphoto.com/
ranplett; page 13 (top): iStockphoto.com/Enrique Ramos Lopez; page 13 (bottom): iStockphoto.
com/Claudia Dewald; page 14: iStockphoto.com/Craig Dingle; page 15: courtesy of NASA; page 16
(top left): iStockphoto.com/Darren Mower; page 16 (top right): iStockphoto.com/nullplus; page 16
(bottom): iStockphoto.com/One Clear Vision; page 17 (top): iStockphoto.com/Sarah Salmela; page
17 (bottom): iStockphoto.com/Marzanna Syncerz; page 18: 3desc/Dreamstime.com; page 19
(top): iStockphoto.com/Billy Gadbury; page 20: iStockphoto.com/Stephen Dumayne; page 21 (top):
Learning AZ; page 22 (bottom left): Rmarmion/Dreamstime.com; page 22 (bottom right):
iStockphoto.com/Linda Kloosterhof; page 23 (top): iStockphoto.com/Simon Podgorsek; page 23
(bottom): Andreas Weiss/Dreamstime.com; page 24: iStockphoto.com/Iia Dukhnovska
Illustration Credit:
pages 12, 18, 19: Learning AZ; page 21 (bottom): Signe Nordin/ Learning AZ

Written by Ron Fridell

Force and Motion

Learning AZ.
Written by Ron Fridell
All rights reserved.

www.sciencea-z.com

www.sciencea-z.com

ro

Table of Contents

lling

Introduction........................................................ 4

p
jumping

Motion Needs a Force........................................ 5

The Laws of Motion........................................... 7
Newtons First Law of Motion.......................... 8
Newtons Second Law of Motion..................... 10
Newtons Third Law of Motion....................... 12
Types of Forces.................................................
Gravity............................................................
Friction............................................................
Magnetism.......................................................

13
13
16
18

Force, Motion, and Work................................. 20

Energy................................................................ 21
Potential and Kinetic Energy.......................... 21
Energy Transfer............................................... 23

th

c r e e p i n g
Introduction
The words above tell about motion. They
describe different ways things move. Motion
is all around you. There is even motion inside
you. Your blood is moving right now.
For every motion, there is a force. In this
book, you will learn about motion and the
forces that make things move.

Conclusion........................................................ 24
Glossary............................................................. 25
Index.................................................................. 26

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Motion Needs a Force

You need a force to move something.
Lifting, pushing, and pulling are all forces.
Where do forces come from?
Sometimes the force comes from a
person. When you lift your books,
you are the force. If you push a car,
you are the force. If you pull a
rope to play tug-of-war, you
are the force.
push

lift

Machines can be a
force. A huge engine
can push a rocket into
space. A small electric
motor can turn the
blades of a fan or
power a toy car.
Nature is also a
force. Breezes make
leaves shake in the
treetops. Ocean waves
make boats bob in the
water. Earthquakes
shake the ground.

pull

The outer layer of Earth is made

of pieces called plates. Earths
plates move in several ways.
The force of these moving
plates causes earthquakes.

The Laws of Motion

A law is a rule that people must follow. But
in science, law has another meaning. A law
explains how things in the world always work.

Scientists have done tests

on motion for hundreds of
years. British scientist Isaac
Newton discovered the force
we call gravity. You cannot
see gravity. But it causes
things to fall toward the ground.

Newtons First Law of Motion

Some people think that Newton discovered

gravity when a falling apple hit him on the
head. Thats not true. But Newton did notice
that things always fell down toward the
ground. He would watch closely and make
notes. That is how he discovered gravity.
SIr Isaac Newton (16421727)
Isaac Newton lived on a farm in England. Instead of farming,
he chose to study math and science. He made many
important discoveries. At age 27, Newton did tests on light.
He was the first
person to state
that light was
made up of all
the colors of the
rainbow. He is now
one of the most
famous scientists
of all time!

Isaac Newton is known for his three laws

of motion. These laws explain how things
move. The first law has two parts.
Part one says that an object at rest will not
move unless a force moves it. For example,
your bike will stay parked until something
moves it.
Part two says that
an object will keep
moving in the same
way unless a new
force changes how
it moves. It will keep
moving at the same
Why is it important to wear
seat belt? Think about
speed and in the same aNewtons
first law of motion.
direction. If you pedal
your bike faster or turn, your bike will change
speed or direction. If you brake, it will stop.
8

Newtons Second Law of Motion

Inertia (in-ER-shuh) makes an object keep

doing what it is doing. An object at rest will
not move unless a force moves it. An objects
motion will not change unless a force stops
it or changes its speed or direction. Newtons
first law of motion is also called the law
of inertia.

Newtons second law of motion has to

do with mass and speed. Mass is the amount
of matter, or physical stuff, in an object. For
example, a huge boulder has a lot more mass
than a tiny pebble.
This law says that an objects motion depends
on how much mass it has and how much force
is needed to move it. A boulder has more mass
than a small rock, so more force would be
needed to move it or to stop it from rolling.

An object has inertia when it is at rest or moving. A force is

needed to make the object move, stop, or change direction.

10

Newtons Third Law of Motion

This train has a large mass and a high speed. This means it has
a lot of momentum. It would take a very strong force to slow or
stop this train!

The second law is also about speed. The

faster an object moves, the more speed it
has, and the more force is needed to stop it.
Think about a train speeding down a track.
It has a lot of mass and speed. So a strong
force is needed to overcome its inertia and
make it stop.

Newtons third law of motion

says that every force or action
has an equal and opposite
reaction. So, if you lift a
9 kg (20 lb.) box, the box
pulls down with an equal
force of 9 kg (20 lbs.).
This law helps you
understand why a balloon full
of air goes flying if you let it go
before you tie it. Air rushes out
the open end. An opposite force pushes
on the far end. This opposite force makes
the balloon fly.

The force in a moving object is called

momentum. The more speed and mass an
object has, the more momentum it has.

B
A
1. Air rushes out the
open end (arrow A).
2. An equal, opposite
force pushes on the
far end of the balloon
(arrow B).

Velocity is an objects speed in a certain direction.

Scientists measure momentum by multiplying an
objects mass by its velocity.

mass

velocity = momentum
11

3. The balloon flies

around the room!

12

Types of Forces
You have read about how people, machines,
and nature can be forces. Now you will read
about three other important forces.

Imagine standing next to a tall building.

You and the building both have mass. So you
both pull on each other because of gravity.
The building has more mass, so it pulls on
you more than you pull on it.

Gravity
Isaac Newton learned how objects pull on
each other because of gravity. The power of
gravitys pull depends on two things. One is
the mass of each object, and the other is the
distance between them.
Greater masses have a stronger pull than
small masses do. If they are close, the pull is
stronger. If they are far apart, the pull is weaker.
Mass, Distance, and Gravity
In which situation is the gravitational pull strongest?
In which situation is the gravitational pull weakest?
A

two small masses

short distance

two small masses

greater distance

two large masses

short distance

However, both you and the building are

standing on Earth. Earth has much more mass
than either you or the building. So Earth pulls
on you and the building much more than you
and the building pull on each other.
On Earth, an objects mass is the same as its
weight. The greater its mass, the more the force
of gravity pulls on it, and the more it weighs.

two large masses

greater distance

Strongest: C; Weakest: B

13

14

Friction
Friction is another force you cannot see.
Friction slows down moving things. It also
heats them up. When you rub your hands
together, they create sliding friction. This friction
produces heat energy, which warms your skin.

If you were up in space, the pull of gravity would be weaker. You

would still have the same mass, but you would weigh much less.

Earth is huge, but the Sun has way more

mass than anything else in our solar system.
That means it has a much stronger pull of
gravity than anything else nearby. This pull
of gravity keeps the planets from flying off
into space. Instead, they circle the Sun.

A moving bowling ball has another kind

of friction. Rolling friction also slows things
down, but not as much as sliding friction.
Placing rollers under a box makes it easier
to push. Rolling reduces friction.

Rough surfaces make more

friction against each other
than smooth surfaces do.
Putting a lubricant such as
oil or grease between two
surfaces will reduce friction.

Distance is important to gravity, too. You

are much closer to Earth than to the Sun. So
Earths gravity keeps you on the ground.
15

16

Magnetism

Fluid friction happens when an object

moves through water or air. Your finger
moves through water faster than honey
because honey creates more fluid friction.
Fluid friction can be
weaker than sliding
friction. A puck
floating on air
in an air hockey
game moves
faster than
a puck sliding
along a solid
surface.

Magnetism is an invisible force. It pulls and

pushes objects made of certain metals, such as
iron. Magnets also push and pull each other.
The force of
magnetism can
move an object
without
touching it.
How? Invisible
lines of force from
the magnet pull
on the object.

Magnetic Field Around a

Magnet
lines of force

magnet

Each magnet has a north and south pole.

Two opposite poles attract each other. But two
of the same poles push
each other away.

Imagine that
you wanted
to race your friends
down a snowy hill.
How could thinking
about friction help
you win the race?

Opposite poles attract.

Like poles repel.

17

18

Force, Motion, and Work

In science, work happens when you move
something. The amount of work you do
depends on the distance the object moves
and the force it takes to move it.

Scientists measure work by multiplying the distance

an object moves by the force used to move it.

Generators like these use magnets to make electricity flow

through wires.

force

distance = work

Magnets can send electricity through

wires. The magnets spin past wires to make
electricity flow.

most work

Magnets can also produce electricity. But

electricity can also turn some metals into
magnets. Electricity and magnetism are part
of a single force called electromagnetism.

4 blocks, no baby

4 blocks, with baby

least work

2 blocks, no baby
What would happen
to the paper clips
if the wire stopped
touching the battery?

2 blocks, with baby

It takes less work to push an empty stroller than to push a

stroller with a baby in it. The empty stroller has less mass.
Also, if you move the stroller four city blocks instead of two,
you will do twice as much work.

19

20

Energy

Can you guess which type of energy the

gas in a car has? Fuels have potential energy.
Burning gas to move a car changes that
potential energy into kinetic energy.

Energy is the ability

to do work. If you have
more energy, you can
do more work.
Potential and Kinetic Energy
There are two main kinds of energy:
potential and kinetic. Suppose you pull back
on a rubber band. It stretches. You have given
it potential energy. This energy is stored and
ready to use. Let it go, and what happens?
The rubber band flies away. You turned that
potential energy into kinetic energy. Kinetic
energy is energy in motion.

21

Why cant a
motorcycle that is out
of gas be ridden? Think about
potential and kinetic energy.

The food you eat also has potential energy.

When you eat food, you store up energy. Your
body needs that energy. You use energy every
time you run, jump, or smile.

22

Energy Transfer

Conclusion

Energy can be changed from one kind

to another. Energy can also be moved from
one object or place to another. Changing
and moving energy is called energy transfer.
The energy stored in
foods can move to your
muscles. Then it gets
changed into motion
in your arms. You can
move this motion to
sticks that make a
drum vibrate. Now
the motion energy
becomes sound energy.

You have learned that it takes force to make

things move or stop. Pushing, pulling, and
lifting are all forces. Other forces include gravity,
friction, and magnetism. You have also learned
about Newtons three laws of motion.
It takes energy to move anything, which is
called doing work. This energy can be potential
(stored) or kinetic (motion). We can transfer
energy by moving it from one object to another.
Or we can change it from one kind of energy
to another. Forces and motion are everywhere,
all around you.

Energy in batteries
can make a toy move or
a flashlight shine. What
other examples of energy
transfer can you think of?
23

24

Glossary
direction the way or course toward which
something moves or faces (p. 8)
distance the amount of space between
things (p. 13)
electromagnetism the combined force of electricity
and magnetism (p. 19)
energy transfer the movement of energy from
one object to another or the
change of energy from one
form to another (p. 23)
force the strength or energy that
moves an object (p. 4)

mass the amount of matter,

measured on Earth by its
weight (p. 10)
momentum the strength or force that keeps
something moving (p. 11)
motion the act of going from one place
to another; movement (p. 4)
potential energy the energy a body has because
of its position, electrical
charge, or structure; stored
energy (p. 21)
speed the rate of movement (p. 8)
weight how heavy something is,
determined by the pull of
gravity on the objects mass
(p. 14)

friction a force that slows down

moving things (p. 16)
gravity the force that pulls things
toward the center of Earth
or any other object that has
mass (p. 7)

work the act of using force to move

something over a certain
distance (p. 20)

inertia the tendency of an object to

resist change in the direction
or speed of its motion (p. 9)
kinetic energy the energy that a moving body
has because of its motion (p. 21)
magnetism a force that pushes and pulls
certain metals (p. 18)

25

Index
lines of force, 18
Newton, Isaac, 710,
12, 13, 24
first law of motion, 8, 9
second law of
motion, 10, 11

26

third law of
motion,12
speed vs. velocity, 11
types of friction
fluid friction, 17
rolling friction, 16
sliding friction, 16