Force and Motion

A Science A–Z Physical Series

Word Count: 1,484

Written by Ron Fridell

Visit www.sciencea-z.com www.sciencea-z.com

Force and 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

Motion
influence objects that are at rest or that are already in motion. Isaac
Newton’s 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 energy—the
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:
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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 Image Collection/Alamy Stock
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of NASA; page 16 (top left): © iStockphoto.com/Darren Mower; page 16 (top right): © iStockphoto.
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Iia Dukhnovska

Illustration Credit:
pages 12, 18, 19: © Learning A–Z; page 21 (bottom): Signe
Nordin/© Learning A–Z Reading Levels
Learning A–Z S
Written by Ron Fridell Force and Motion
Lexile 710L
© Learning A–Z.
Written by Ron Fridell
Correlations
All rights reserved. Fountas and Pinnell* O
www.sciencea-z.com www.sciencea-z.com *Correlated independent reading level
 Table of Contents ro g
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iiin
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spinning
i n n
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lling
Introduction........................................................ 4 p n
p sl ssp
pp
i
s iin n
Motion Needs a Force........................................ 5
jumping i s e r in
th g
The Laws of Motion........................................... 7
Newton’s First Law of Motion.......................... 8
c r e e p i n g
Newton’s Second Law of Motion..................... 10 Introduction
Newton’s Third Law of Motion....................... 12
The words above tell about motion. They
Types of Forces................................................. 13
describe different ways things move. Motion
Gravity............................................................ 13
is all around you. There is even motion inside
Friction............................................................ 16
you. Your blood is moving right now.
Magnetism....................................................... 18
For every motion, there is a force. In this
Force, Motion, and Work................................. 20
book, you will learn about motion and the
Energy................................................................ 21 forces that make things move.
Potential and Kinetic Energy.......................... 21
Energy Transfer............................................... 23
Conclusion........................................................ 24
Glossary............................................................. 25
Index.................................................................. 26

3 4
 Motion Needs a Force Machines can be a
force. A huge engine
You need a force to move something.
can push a rocket into
Lifting, pushing, and pulling are all forces.
space. A small electric
Where do forces come from? motor can turn the
Sometimes the force comes from a blades of a fan or
person. When you lift your books, power a toy car.
you are the force. If you push a car,
Nature is also a
you are the force. If you pull a
force. Breezes make
rope to play tug-of-war, you
leaves shake in the
are the force.
treetops. Ocean waves
push make boats bob in the
water. Earthquakes
lift shake the ground.

pull

The outer layer of Earth is made

of pieces called plates. Earth’s
plates move in several ways.
The force of these moving
plates causes earthquakes.

5 6
 The Laws of Motion

Scientists have done tests A law is a rule that people must follow. But
on motion for hundreds of in science, law has another meaning. A law
explains how things in the world always work.
years. British scientist Isaac
Newton discovered the force
we call gravity. You cannot Newton’s First Law of Motion
see gravity. But it causes Isaac Newton is known for his three laws
things to fall toward the ground. of motion. These laws explain how things
move. The first law has two parts.
Some people think that Newton discovered
gravity when a falling apple hit him on the Part one says that an object at rest will not
head. That’s not true. But Newton did notice move unless a force moves it. For example,
that things always fell down toward the your bike will stay parked until something
ground. He would watch closely and make moves it.
notes. That is how he discovered gravity.
Part two says that
an object will keep
SIR ISAAC NEWTON (1642–1727)
Isaac Newton lived on a farm in England. Instead of farming,
moving in the same
he chose to study math and science. He made many way unless a new
important discoveries. At age 27, Newton did tests on light.
He was the first force changes how
person to state
that light was
it moves. It will keep
made up of all moving at the same Why is it important to wear
the colors of the
rainbow. He is now speed and in the same aNewton’s
seat belt? Think about
first law of motion.
one of the most
famous scientists
direction. If you pedal
of all time! your bike faster or turn, your bike will change
speed or direction. If you brake, it will stop.

7 8
 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 object’s
motion will not change unless a force stops
it or changes its speed or direction. Newton’s
first law of motion is also called the law
of inertia.
An object has inertia when it is at rest or moving. A force is
needed to make the object move, stop, or change direction.
9 10
Newton’s Second Law of Motion
Newton’s 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 object’s 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.
 Newton’s Third Law of Motion
Newton’s 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
This train has a large mass and a high speed. This means it has pulls down with an equal
a lot of momentum. It would take a very strong force to slow or
stop this train! force of 9 kg (20 lbs.).

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.
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

B
momentum. The more speed and mass an
object has, the more momentum it has.
A
1. Air rushes out the
open end (arrow A).

2. An equal, opposite

Velocity is an object’s speed in a certain direction. force pushes on the
Scientists measure momentum by multiplying an far end of the balloon
(arrow B).
object’s mass by its velocity.
mass x velocity = momentum 3. The balloon flies
around the room!

11 12
 Types of Forces Imagine standing next to a tall building.
You and the building both have mass. So you
You have read about how people, machines,
both pull on each other because of gravity.
and nature can be forces. Now you will read
The building has more mass, so it pulls on
about three other important forces.
you more than you pull on it.
Gravity
Isaac Newton learned how objects pull on
each other because of gravity. The power of
gravity’s 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?
However, both you and the building are
A B
standing on Earth. Earth has much more mass
than either you or the building. So Earth pulls
• two small masses • two small masses on you and the building much more than you
• short distance • greater distance
and the building pull on each other.
C D

On Earth, an object’s mass is the same as its

• two large masses • two large masses weight. The greater its mass, the more the force
• short distance • greater distance
Strongest: C; Weakest: B of gravity pulls on it, and the more it weighs.
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.

A moving bowling ball has another kind

If you were up in space, the pull of gravity would be weaker. You of friction. Rolling friction also slows things
would still have the same mass, but you would weigh much less.
down, but not as much as sliding friction.
Earth is huge, but the Sun has way more Placing rollers under a box makes it easier
mass than anything else in our solar system. to push. Rolling reduces friction.
That means it has a much stronger pull of
gravity than anything else nearby. This pull
of gravity keeps the planets from flying off
Rough surfaces make more
into space. Instead, they circle the Sun. friction against each other
than smooth surfaces do.
Distance is important to gravity, too. You Putting a lubricant such as
are much closer to Earth than to the Sun. So oil or grease between two
surfaces will reduce friction.
Earth’s gravity keeps you on the ground.
15 16
 Fluid friction happens when an object Magnetism
moves through water or air. Your finger Magnetism is an invisible force. It pulls and
moves through water faster than honey pushes objects made of certain metals, such as
because honey creates more fluid friction. iron. Magnets also push and pull each other.
Fluid friction can be
weaker than sliding The force of Magnetic Field Around a
Magnet
friction. A puck magnetism can lines of force

floating on air move an object

in an air hockey without
game moves touching it.
faster than How? Invisible
a puck sliding lines of force from
along a solid the magnet pull
magnet
surface. on the object.

Each magnet has a north and south pole.

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

N
Imagine that S
you wanted S S
to race your friends Opposite poles attract.
down a snowy hill.
How could thinking N N
about friction help
you win the race?
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 x 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 4 blocks, no baby 4 blocks, with baby

of a single force called electromagnetism.

least work

2 blocks, no baby 2 blocks, with baby

What would happen It takes less work to push an empty stroller than to push a
to the paper clips stroller with a baby in it. The empty stroller has less mass.
if the wire stopped Also, if you move the stroller four city blocks instead of two,
touching the battery? 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.
Energy is the ability
Burning gas to move a car changes that
to do work. If you have
potential energy into kinetic energy.
more energy, you can
do more work.

Potential and Kinetic Energy Why can’t a

There are two main kinds of energy: motorcycle that is out
of gas be ridden? Think about
potential and kinetic. Suppose you pull back
potential and kinetic energy.
on a rubber band. It stretches. You have given
it potential energy. This energy is stored and
The food you eat also has potential energy.
ready to use. Let it go, and what happens?
When you eat food, you store up energy. Your
The rubber band flies away. You turned that
body needs that energy. You use energy every
potential energy into kinetic energy. Kinetic
time you run, jump, or smile.
energy is energy in motion.

21 22
Energy Transfer Conclusion
Energy can be changed from one kind
You have learned that it takes force to make
to another. Energy can also be moved from
things move or stop. Pushing, pulling, and
one object or place to another. Changing
lifting are all forces. Other forces include gravity,
and moving energy is called energy transfer.
friction, and magnetism. You have also learned
The energy stored in about Newton’s three laws of motion.
foods can move to your
It takes energy to move anything, which is
muscles. Then it gets
called doing work. This energy can be potential
changed into motion
(stored) or kinetic (motion). We can transfer
in your arms. You can
energy by moving it from one object to another.
move this motion to
Or we can change it from one kind of energy
sticks that make a
to another. Forces and motion are everywhere,
drum vibrate. Now
all around you.
the motion energy
becomes sound energy.

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)
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)
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)
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 object’s mass
(p. 14)
work the act of using force to move
something over a certain
distance (p. 20)
Index
lines of force,  18 third law of
Newton, Isaac,  7–10, motion, 12
12, 13, 24 speed vs. velocity,  11
first law of motion,  8, 9 types of friction
second law of fluid friction,  17
motion,  10, 11 rolling friction,  16
sliding friction,  16

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