Forces and motion

Lesson 1 1.1 Introduction to forces Lesson plan

Student book, pages 8–9

CD resources Objectives
■ Worksheet 1.1.1
■ Worksheet 1.1.2 • Describe different types of force

■ Worksheet 1.1.3 • Understand the effects of forces on moving objects

• Describe how to measure forces

Overview
This lesson builds on the understanding of forces that students have gained at
Stage 6.It will enable them to recall all the different types of forces, such as
gravity, air resistance, and friction. The main idea is that forces enable us to
explain what is happening to an object.To explain motion students need to be
able to identify the forces acting on an object, and the direction in which they
act. Forces are invisible so students need to be able to represent the forces acting
on an object with an arrow, and to be able to label those arrows correctly.
Students will be familiar with using a spring balance, or forcemeter, to measure
forces.They should be aware that forces are measured in newtons.

Activities
• Ask students to identify the names of as many different types of force that
they have met at Stage 6 and below. They may not have met the electrostatic
force. How do we know that there are forces acting?Explain that forces act
on objects and we can represent them with arrows.
• Students revise what they know about forces using Worksheet 1.1.1.
• Students examine different situations where there are forces acting.For each
one they identify the type of force and the direction in which it is acting and
sketch diagrams to show those forces. They follow the instructions on
worksheet 1.1.2 and complete worksheet 1.1.3.
• Demonstrate using a spring balance to measure force.Show lifting an object
to measure weight, and pulling an object to measure friction.
• Demonstrate how other forcemeters/bathroom scales can be used to measure
force e.g. pushing against a wall against bathroom scales.
• Students make a table showing the different types of forcemeter and where
you might use them.

Extension
Individually or in pairs students tackle question 4 on worksheet 1.1.2. This asks
students to identify the link between the size of forces and the motion of the
object, and to identify situations where this is happening.

Homework
Workbook page 7

Key words
force, gravitational force, weight, electrostatic force, attract, repel, magnetic
force, friction, air resistance, water resistance, drag, thrust, upthrust, tension,
spring balance, newtons

© Oxford University Press 2013: this may be reproduced for class use solely for the purchaser’s institute 1