3-PS2-1

Balanced and Unbalanced Forces

Next Generation Standards

3-PS2-1 - Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object.

Clarification Statement - Examples could include an unbalanced force on one side of a ball can make it start moving; and, balanced forces pushing on a box from both sides will not produce any motion at all.

Assessment Boundary - Assessment is limited to one variable at a time: number, size, or direction of forces. Assessment does not include quantitative force size, only qualitative and relative. Assessment is limited to gravity being addressed as a force that pulls objects down.

Massachusetts Standards

3-PS2-1 - Provide evidence to explain the effect of multiple forces, including friction, on an object. Include balanced forces that do not change the motion of the object and unbalanced forces that do change the motion of the object.

Clarification Statement - Descriptions of force magnitude should be qualitative and relative. Force due to gravity is appropriate but only as a force that pulls objects down.

Assessment Boundary - Quantitative force magnitude is not expected in state assessment. State assessment will be limited to one variable at a time: number, size, or direction of forces.

3-PS2-1 - Balanced and Unbalanced Forces