CAMBRIDGE PRIMARY SCIENCE 5 UNIT 5: FORCES AND MAGNETISM

Name ___________________________________ Date _____________

Worksheet 5.1
Gravity, normal forces and applied forces

1 a Sofia picks up the vase of flowers. What type of force is involved?

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b Explain why it is this type of force.

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2 Sofia places the vase of flowers on the table.

a Draw a force diagram to show the forces involved when the vase of flowers is on the table.
b Label each force.

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 CAMBRIDGE PRIMARY SCIENCE 5 UNIT 5: FORCES AND MAGNETISM

Help sheet
Question 1 says Sofia picks up the vase of flowers. The clue to the type of force is that Sofia
is holding the vase of flowers and ___________ force to it.

Points to remember when you draw a force diagram:

• Show the forces with arrows.
• The arrowhead points in the direction the force is working.
• The length of the arrow shows how much force there is.

In this example, gravity and normal forces are working on the vase of flowers.
Gravity is pulling the vase of flowers down to the ground – draw this arrow pointing downwards.
Normal force is pushing up under the table. Draw this arrow pointing upwards.
The two forces balance each other so draw the arrows the same length.

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Stretch sheet
3 Read the following sentences.
a Underline words which show an applied force is exerted.
b Highlight words which show that gravity is being exerted.

Marcus stood up. He walked across the room and opened the door.
He closed the door behind him.
He walked along the path and picked up an apple that had fallen off a tree.
He sat down on a bench and ate the apple.

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Name ___________________________________ Date _____________

Worksheet 5.4A
Multiple forces flying a kite
Have you ever tried to fly a kite? It's not as easy as it looks!

There are four forces involved:

• Gravity – the force of the earth pulling down on the kite.
• Lift – the force that pushes the kite up.
• Applied pulling force – the pull by the person holding the line.
• Drag (air resistance)– the friction of the wind against the kite.

These forces control whether a kite stays up in the sky or falls to the ground. When the kite
reaches as high as it can in the sky the forces balance each other. The lift balances the gravity,
and the air resistance or drag balances the thrust that the kite flier provides by pulling on the line.

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 CAMBRIDGE PRIMARY SCIENCE 5 UNIT 5: FORCES AND MAGNETISM

When the kite is flying, the four forces play against each other. They pull or push the kite up
or down, side to side, and forwards and backwards. At any time, one force might be bigger
than the other, and will pull or push the kite in that direction. This is where the skill of the
kite flyer is important!
1 List the four forces involved when you fly a kite.

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2 Which forces are applied by the person flying the kite?

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3 Which force is exerted by the Earth?

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4 Which force is caused by the wind?

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 CAMBRIDGE PRIMARY SCIENCE 5 UNIT 5: FORCES AND MAGNETISM

Name ___________________________________ Date _____________

Worksheet 5.4B
Multiple forces flying a kite
Have you ever tried to fly a kite? It's not as easy as it looks!

There are four forces involved:

• Gravity – the force of the earth pulling down on the kite.
• Lift – the force that pushes the kite up.
• Applied pulling force – the pull by the person holding the line.
• Drag (air resistance)– the friction of the wind against the kite.

These forces control whether a kite stays up in the sky or falls to the ground. When the kite
reaches as high as it can in the sky the forces balance each other. The lift balances the gravity,
and the air resistance or drag balances the thrust that the kite flier provides by pulling on the line.

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 CAMBRIDGE PRIMARY SCIENCE 5 UNIT 5: FORCES AND MAGNETISM

When the kite is flying, the four forces play against each other. They pull or push the kite up
or down, side to side, and forwards and backwards. At any time, one force might be bigger
than the other, and will pull or push the kite in that direction. This is where the skill of the
kite flyer is important!

1 Label the forces acting on the kite in the picture.

2 Draw an arrow to show which direction the wind is blowing.
3 How can you make a kite move up or down or sideways?

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 CAMBRIDGE PRIMARY SCIENCE 5 UNIT 5: FORCES AND MAGNETISM

Name ___________________________________ Date _____________

Worksheet 5.4C
Multiple forces flying a kite
Have you ever tried to fly a kite? It's not as easy as it looks!

There are four forces involved:

• Gravity – the force of the earth pulling down on the kite.
• Lift – the force that pushes the kite up.
• Applied pulling force – the pull by the person holding the line.
• Drag (air resistance)– the friction of the wind against the kite.

These forces control whether a kite stays up in the sky or falls to the ground. When the kite
reaches as high as it can in the sky the forces balance each other. The lift balances the gravity,
and the air resistance or drag balances the thrust that the kite flier provides by pulling on the line.

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 CAMBRIDGE PRIMARY SCIENCE 5 UNIT 5: FORCES AND MAGNETISM

When the kite is flying, the four forces play against each other. They pull or push the kite up
or down, side to side, and forwards and backwards. At any time, one force might be bigger
than the other, and will pull or push the kite in that direction. This is where the skill of the
kite flyer is important!

1 Label the four forces involved in flying the kite in the picture.
2 Draw and label an arrow to show the wind direction.

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 CAMBRIDGE PRIMARY SCIENCE 5 UNIT 5: FORCES AND MAGNETISM

Name ___________________________________ Date _____________

Worksheet 5.6A
Magnetic force
Worksheet for Learner 1
Group activity: Plan and carry out a fair test to compare the strengths of magnets.
In this activity you need to work in groups of three.
Each of you has a different role to play in the group activity.
This will give you a chance to practise your thinking and working scientifically skills.
Your task is to collect the resources for the activity.
You will need: at least three magnets, a box of steel paperclips with no plastic coating,
a notebook and a pencil

1 In the activity you are going to compare how many paperclips each magnet can pick up.
Why is it important that you use steel paperclips and not plastic-coated paperclips?

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2 Allow 15–20 minutes to do the activity. When is the group going to do the activity? You will have
to discuss this with the other two members of the group to choose a time that suits all of you.

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Name ___________________________________ Date _____________

Worksheet 5.6B
Magnetic force
Worksheet for Learner 2
Group activity: Plan and carry out a fair test to compare the strengths of magnets.
In this activity you need to work in groups of three.
Each of you has a different role to play in the group activity.
This will give you a chance to practise your thinking and working scientifically skills.
Your job is to plan a fair test for the group to compare the strength of different magnets.
Use the idea in the picture to help you decide what to do.

1 How will you make the test fair?

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2 Why should you use a new set of paperclips to test each magnet?

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Name ___________________________________ Date _____________

Worksheet 5.6C
Magnetic force
Worksheet for Learner 3
Group activity: Plan and carry out a fair test to compare the strengths of magnets.
In this activity you need to work in groups of three.
Each of you has a different role to play in the group activity.
This will give you a chance to practise your thinking and working scientifically skills.
You are in charge of the predicting, carrying out the fair test, recording results and
writing a conclusion. Design and make a suitable way of recording predictions and results,
such as a table or a chart.
1 Design and draw a table or chart to record your group’s predictions and results.
Remember you will compare at least three magnets.
Draw your table or chart in the space below.

2 Before you begin the test, discuss with the group which magnet you think will be the
strongest, the second strongest and the weakest. The strongest will have the longest
chain of paperclips. Write down your predictions in order from the strongest to the
weakest by filling this information into your table.
3 Carry out the fair test. Enter the results on your table.

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4 Discuss the conclusion with the group.

5 Write your conclusion below.

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