forces experiments ks2

Friction: plan

I can plan an investigation to measure the effects of friction.

Lesson details

Key learning points.

• Friction is the force between two surfaces that are moving, or trying to move, across each other.
• Friction always works in the opposite direction to the moving object.
• Only changing one variable allows us to know that no other variable has affected the results of the test.

Common misconception

Friction is always unhelpful.

Examples given of positive uses of friction for braking and turning.

Surface - The surface is the top or outside layer of something.

Force - A force is a push or a pull. Forces can make objects move, change speed, change direction or change shape.

Friction - Friction is a type of force that acts between surfaces.

Variables - Variables are factors that can be changed in an investigation.

See additional materials.

Content guidance

• Risk assessment required - equipment

Supervision

Adult supervision required

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited ( 2024 ), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Starter quiz

6 questions.

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KS2 Science Forces + 1 Experiment

Subject: Primary science

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

28 January 2018

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A superb Activ Inspire IWB resource to use with however you choose to investigate forces. Thank you.

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• Teaching Resources
• Forces Ks2 Simple Machines Stem Activities Ks2

Forces KS2 – Simple machines STEM activities

PDF medium term plan, worksheets, PowerPoints and teaching notes

STEM , Science

In this six-week series of forces KS2 lessons, pupils will learn about six simple machines and how they transfer force from one place to another.

They will then carry out an investigation into how much force it takes to move a load up an inclined plane and build their own simple pulley, mini catapult and toy car.

To save you time, we’ve provided everything you’ll need to follow the plan, including worksheets and PowerPoints. Raid your cupboard for a few extra resources such as paper cups, string and paperclips.

Forces KS2 curriculum links

• Understand that machines transfer force from one place to another
• Identify uses for six simple machines
• Build and investigate inclined planes
• Use the terms ‘load’ and ‘force’
• Build and investigate fixed pulleys and systems of pulleys
• Explore how pulleys change the direction of a force and make lifting easier
• Investigate levers and fulcrums
• Identify and compare machines that are powered by the wheel turning or the axle turning
• Use knowledge of simple machines to design a compound machine

This download contains

• Full PDF medium-term plan
• PowerPoints
• Teaching notes

Laura Cross is a former primary teacher. She set up Inventors & Makers. in 2019 and runs workshops and classes focusing on STEM, design and 21st-century skills. Follow Laura on Twitter at @inventorsm . Read more about STEM education .

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These complete units of work are all about forces including magnetism, gravity, friction, air/water resistance and how forces are used in machines with levers, pulleys and gears. Lessons are designed to address the National Curriculum Science objectives for forces and include detailed planning and guidance for teachers, slides, and a range of resources for practical scientific activities, enquiries and experiments.

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Science Fun

Force And Motion Science Experiments

Easy motion science experiments you can do at home! Click on the experiment image or the view experiment link below for each experiment on this page to see the materials needed and procedure. Have fun trying these experiments at home or use them for SCIENCE FAIR PROJECT IDEAS.

Strength Test:

Magic Ball:

Observe Centrifugal Force In Action

Can A Light Weight Lift A Heavy Weight?:

Coin In A Cup:

Observing Inertia:

Coin Flick:

Magically Remove The Bottom Coin

Hammer Head:

Seemingly Defy Gravity

Galileo’s Swinging Strings:

Use Straws To Reduce Friction:

Find A Hard Boiled Egg:

Use Spinning Science In This Experiment

Unbreakable Thread:

Magic Napkin:

Cotton Ball Catapult:

Rapid Rubber Band Launcher:

Send A Bunch Of Rubber Bands Flying

Water Balloon Physics:

Centrifugal Force: 

Stab A Potato:

Traveling Toothpicks:

Surface Tension And Toothpicks Do Mix

Balance A House On Your Finger:

Ruler Race:

Easy Film Canister Rocket:

Rocket Balloon Blast:

This Balloon Really Moves

Mini Marshmallow Launcher:

Build Your Own Balance Buddy:

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Primary Science Resources for the National Curriculum

Year 5 forces.

• Outstanding Science Year 5

Knowledge and Understanding

Statutory requirements, notes and guidance, upper ks2 - working scientifically.

Pupils explain why objects fall to Earth. Using force meters, they measure the force of gravity on different objects and suggest a relationship between weight and mass. They investigate the effects of friction on different surfaces and display their results in bar charts. Pupils investigate the effects of air resistance using parachutes and record their results in a bar chart. They explain how levers work, and investigate the effect of changing the position of the fulcrim, pivot and load, displaying this relationship in a line graph. They explain how pulleys work, creating their own pulleys and investigate their mechanical advantage, recording their results in a line graph. Pupils explore the effect of gear trains on the speed and direction of driven gears. They identify objects and situations which exhibit high and low water resistance. Pupils apply their learning to create and calibrate their own force meters.

Investigating levers Investigation Free!

Outstanding science year 5 | forces | os5e006.

• Description
• National Curriculum
• Key learning

Learning objective

I can explain how a lever works.

Children set up their own lever, with fulcrum, beam and load, and investigate how far from the fulcrum different forces (weights) need to be in order to balance the load. They transfer their results to a line graph and attempt to find a relationship between the force required and the distance from the fulcrum.

• 5e3 : recognise that some mechanisms, including levers, pulleys and gears, allow a smaller force to have a greater effect.

Gravity and weight Worksheet

Outstanding science year 5 | forces | os5e001.

I can explain why objects fall to Earth.

Children explore why people don't fall off the 'bottom' of the Earth, and why the Moon dies not fall out of the sky. Children investigate the force of gravity by weighing 5 objects in grams, and then measuring the pull between them and the Earth using a force meter, measuring the force in newtons (N). They look for a relationship between their two measurements.

• 5e1 : explain that unsupported objects fall towards the Earth because of the force of gravity acting between the Earth and the falling object

Force meters Investigation

Outstanding science year 5 | forces | os5e002.

I can make and calibrate a force meter and explain how it works.

Children create their own force meter using simple classroom equipment. They use known masses to calibrate their force meter, adding a sensible scale. Children learn that a mass of 100g experiences a pull towards the Earth due to the force of gravity of approximately 1 newton. Children explain how their force meter works and why they needed to calibrate it before using it.

• 5e2 : identify the effects of air resistance, water resistance and friction, that act between moving surfaces

Air resistance Investigation

Outstanding science year 5 | forces | os5e003.

I can investigate the effects of air resistance.

Children investigate how canopy size affect's a parachute's rate of descent. They construct 4 parachutes with different canopy areas and predict and then measure how long they tale to descend from a given height. They take each measurement 3 times and calculate the mean. Children show their results in a bar chart and attempt to answer the scientific question.

Water resistance Worksheet

Outstanding science year 5 | forces | os5e004.

I can identify when objects are experiencing high or low water resistance.

Children look at 6 different situations, identify whether the object is experiencing high or low water resistance, and explain why.

Investigating friction Investigation

Outstanding science year 5 | forces | os5e005.

I can investigate the effects of friction on different materials.

Children investigate the best surface to place on a floor to prevent people from slipping. They predict and then measure the force required to make a shoe containing a weight slide across a range of surfaces. They present their results in a bar chart and attempt to answer the scientific question.

Investigating pulleys Investigation

Outstanding science year 5 | forces | os5e007.

I can explain how a pulley works.

Children construct a simple pulley from 2 karabiner clips. They use a force meter to compare the force required to lift loads with and without the pulley. They record their results in a table and then transfer their results to a line graph showing two lines. They compare both sets of results and explain the advantage that a pulley provides.

Gears Worksheet

Outstanding science year 5 | forces | os5e008.

I can explain how a gear train works.

Children look at 8 different examples of gear trains. They work out whether the driven gear will rotate clockwise or anticlockwise and whether it will rotate more quickly or slowly than the driver. If possible, they use Lego gears to test their ideas.

Get instant access to all of our Year 5 resources.

Outstanding science - year 5 contains all of the following units:.

Unit 5A - Living Things And Their Habitats

Unit 5B - Animals, Including Humans

Unit 5C - Properties And Changes Of Materials

Unit 5D - Earth And Space

Unit 5E - Forces

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Forces and Air Resistance

Aimed at Key Stage Two this resource, produced by Rolls-Royce contains five activities related to the topic area of forces. Children look at friction, how the force of air resistance affects moving objects, pushing and pulling and directions in which forces act. Each activity includes worksheets and teacher guidance. The activities are: 

Air Resistance Investigation - This investigation asks children to consider what changes they can make to increase the amount of air resistance they feel when running across the playground with a large sheet of a card.

Forces and Air Resistance -  Looking at pictures children are asked to use arrows to show the direction and size of the forces acting upon objects. Includes looking at the forces acting upon a plane in flight.

Balloon Rocket -  This investigation asks children to consider changes to a balloon rocket: how the force pushing the rocket could be increased or ways in which the force of friction or the force of gravity acting on the rocket could be changed.

Turbine Windmill -  In this investigation children consider changes they could make to a turbine windmill to increase the speed at which it turns.

Balloon Buggy Investigation -  Children build a balloon buggy and consider changes that would affect how far it goes. They then decide on one idea to investigate.

You may also be interested in our online, self-paced course Teaching primary science:  electricity, forces, light and sound.

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Please be aware that resources have been published on the website in the form that they were originally supplied. This means that procedures reflect general practice and standards applicable at the time resources were produced and cannot be assumed to be acceptable today. Website users are fully responsible for ensuring that any activity, including practical work, which they carry out is in accordance with current regulations related to health and safety and that an appropriate risk assessment has been carried out.

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Simple Science – learning about forces

January 9, 2014 By Emma Vanstone 1 Comment

Today, we’ve been trying to learn about forces.

Pushes and pulls are examples of forces.

When we push or pull something, it moves.

Can you push a toy car softly? What happens? Does it move further if you push harder?

Can you think of things you push and things you pull? Are there things you can push and pull?

We drew a simple table with our ideas and then put them into a Venn diagram . The area in the middle where the circles overlap are things we push and pull.

Can you think of any more?

Examples of Push and Pull Forces

Push Forces

Push a scooter

Push a supermarket trolley

Push a swing

Push a bell

Pull Forces

A dog pulling on a lead.

Pull down a zip.

Pull a cracker

Push and Pull Forces

Hockey – push or pull the ball

Push or pull open a door.

If you’re starting a push and pull forces topic, you might like my push and pull puppets !

Don’t forget to take a look at my full collection of science activities for learning about forces .

Science concepts

Pushs and pulls

Amazon.com Widgets

Last Updated on February 8, 2024 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

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