Air Resistance & Friction · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.
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Air Resistance & Friction

Science · Forces & Motion · ages 9-10
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Air resistance, water resistance, and friction all oppose motion.

    Circle one:   True   False

  2. True or false: Air resistance gets stronger as you go faster.

    Circle one:   True   False

  3. What force pushes against a skydiver falling through the air?

    • Static friction
    • Kinetic friction
    • Air resistance
    • Rolling friction

  4. Which force pushes back against you when you swim through water?

    • Water resistance
    • Friction
    • Gravity

  5. What does friction do to a moving object?

    • Slows it down
    • Speeds it up
    • Does not affect it
    • Makes it float

  6. Why is swimming harder than walking on land?

    • Water resistance pushes back more than air resistance does
    • Water pulls you down harder than gravity does
    • Walking uses more muscles than swimming does

  7. Why does opening a parachute slow a skydiver down?

    • The parachute makes the skydiver lighter
    • The parachute blocks gravity
    • The wide cloth catches more air, increasing air resistance

  8. Look at the chart. Why does the rough rubber pad create more friction than the smooth pad?

    Smooth pad3Roughrubber9
    • A smooth surface always grips better
    • A rough, bumpy surface grips better than a smooth one
    • Friction has nothing to do with surface texture

  9. Two skydivers weigh the same. One spreads arms and legs wide while falling. The other curls into a tight ball. Who falls faster?

    • The one in a tight ball, because a smaller surface means less air resistance
    • They fall at exactly the same speed
    • The one spread wide, because a smaller surface means less air resistance

  10. Tom says a bike goes faster over loose gravel than over a paved road because gravel is smoother. Is Tom right?

    • Yes, gravel is smoother than pavement
    • The surface makes no difference to the bike's speed
    • No, gravel is rougher and creates more friction, which slows the bike more
LightMySky · lightmysky.comW1-mt_Y9k86G8BBT-s1

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Air Resistance & Friction W1-mt_Y9k86G8BBT-s1

  1. True · That is what makes them alike. Each one pushes against a moving object and slows it down.
  2. True · Air resistance increases with speed. The faster an object moves through air, the more air it has to push out of the way each second.
  3. Air resistance · Air resistance is the force of air pushing against a moving object. A falling skydiver feels air resistance pushing up while gravity pulls down.
  4. Water resistance · Water resistance is the force that pushes back on you as you move through water.
  5. Slows it down · Friction always opposes motion. It acts in the opposite direction, so it slows moving objects down.
  6. Water resistance pushes back more than air resistance does · Water is thicker than air, so it pushes back harder against your body as you move.
  7. The wide cloth catches more air, increasing air resistance · A bigger surface catches more air, so air resistance pushes back harder.
  8. A rough, bumpy surface grips better than a smooth one · Rougher surfaces catch and grip more, creating stronger friction than smooth ones.
  9. The one in a tight ball, because a smaller surface means less air resistance · A tight ball has a smaller surface facing the air, so less air resistance pushes back, letting that skydiver fall faster.
  10. No, gravel is rougher and creates more friction, which slows the bike more · Gravel is bumpy and rough, so it creates more friction than a smooth paved road and slows the bike down more.
Worksheet · LightMySky