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3rd Grade Forces and Motion worksheets

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Forces and Motion

Grade 3 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me

NameDate

Circle the answer.

  1. A box has 20 units of force pushing right and 12 units of friction pushing left. Which way does it move, and how much extra force is there?

    • right, with 8 extra units
    • left, with 8 extra units
    • it stays still
    • right, with 32 extra units
  2. A cart is still while two students push from opposite sides. Then one pushes harder. What happens?

    • the cart stays still
    • the cart moves sideways
    • the cart moves away from the harder push
    • the cart moves toward the harder push
  3. A ball rolls down a ramp. Use the graph of how far it has gone after each second. What does the pattern show?

    • the ball stops after 2 seconds
    • the ball slows down
    • the ball moves at the same speed
    • the ball speeds up as it rolls down
  4. A sled slides down a snowy hill onto flat ground. On which surface would it stop soonest?

    • it would stop the same on each
    • a patch of sand
    • smooth ice
    • packed snow
  5. A book sits on a table. Gravity pulls it down. Why doesn't it fall?

    • the table pushes up with an equal force
    • air holds the book up
    • the book has no weight on a table
    • gravity stops working on tables
  6. Team A and Team B each pull a rope with 60 units of force. A third child joins Team A and adds 10 units. What happens?

    • the forces stay balanced
    • the rope moves toward Team B
    • the rope moves toward Team A
    • the rope stays still
  7. A toy car rolls 50 cm on carpet and 200 cm on tile with the same push. What is the best explanation?

    • the car is heavier on carpet
    • tile has more friction than carpet
    • carpet has more friction than tile
    • gravity is stronger on carpet
  8. A student pushes a box with 10 units of force, and friction pushes back with 10 units. She wants the box to move. What should she do?

    • push with less than 10 units
    • push with exactly 10 units
    • push with more than 10 units
    • push from both sides at once
  9. A ball rolls back and forth in a bowl. It reaches 10 cm, then 8 cm, then 6 cm, then 4 cm up the side. Predict the next height.

    • 6 cm
    • 10 cm
    • 4 cm
    • 2 cm
  10. A kite stays still high in the sky. The wind pushes it and the string pulls it. What does this tell you?

    • the string pulls harder than the wind
    • gravity has stopped pulling the kite
    • the forces on the kite are balanced
    • only the wind is pushing the kite
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3rd Grade Forces and Motion worksheet 1 – printable PDF
Download PDF: 123456

About this worksheet

Forces and motion explain how balanced and unbalanced forces change an object's movement, and how patterns of motion let us predict what comes next helps third graders connect observations with scientific explanations instead of memorizing isolated facts. Students may think a moving object stops because it runs out of push, instead of because friction acts on it. This worksheet uses short evidence-based situations so students must read the setup, identify the pattern, and choose the answer that fits the science idea named in the title. Students compare balanced and unbalanced forces, find the extra force, explain friction and gravity, and use swings, pendulums and rolling balls to predict motion.

Support versions use familiar examples and direct wording. Standard and challenge versions add closer distractors and require more comparison. Encourage your child to point to the evidence in the prompt before choosing an answer. If the answer does not explain the observation or solve the stated problem, it is probably a distractor. That habit builds careful science reasoning and prepares students for longer investigations.

What your child will learn

  • Compare balanced and unbalanced forces
  • Explain friction and gravity
  • Predict motion from a pattern
  • Find the extra force

NGSS standard: 3-PS2-1

Worked example

A box pushed with 15 units from the left and 5 units from the right moves right, because the forces are unbalanced by 10 units.

Common mistake

Naming the object instead of the forces acting on it.

Helpful hint

Compare the forces and their directions.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with forces and motion?

Naming the object instead of the forces acting on it.

How can I help my child with forces and motion?

Compare the forces and their directions.

Are these 3rd grade science worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions on this page are free to download and print, with no account needed.

Similar: States of Matter · Changes in Matter

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