Year 5 Science · Gravity, friction and resistance · Summary
Year 5 Science Gravity, friction and resistance: summary and key words
Part of the Year 5 Science gravity, friction and resistance chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Chapter summary
| Skill | Method |
|---|---|
| Gravity | Gravity pulls every object towards the Earth. An unsupported object falls because of gravity. |
| Air resistance | A force from air that pushes against moving things. A larger flat surface has more air resistance. |
| Water resistance | A force from water that pushes against moving things. Streamlined shapes have less water resistance. |
| Friction | A force between surfaces that rub. It acts against the motion, can make heat, and is reduced by oil. |
| Comparing forces | Several forces can act together. Gravity acts at a distance; friction needs surfaces that rub. |
Can you…?
- I can explain that gravity pulls unsupported objects towards the Earth
- I can describe how air resistance slows a falling object, and why a larger surface has more
- I can describe how water resistance slows an object, and how a streamlined shape helps
- I can explain that friction acts between surfaces that rub, against the motion
- I can read a bar chart of a fair test on fall times
Key terms
- gravity
- a force that pulls objects towards the Earth, acting at a distance
- unsupported
- not held up by anything, so the object is free to fall
- air resistance
- a force from air that pushes against moving things, and slows them down
- water resistance
- a force from water that pushes against moving things, and slows them down
- friction
- a force between surfaces that rub, which acts against the motion
- streamlined
- smooth and pointed, so that air or water can flow past with less resistance
- fair test
- a test in which only one thing is changed, and everything else is kept the same
- mean
- the total of several results, divided by how many results there are