SCIENCE 7

WEEK 1 – DAY 1
FORCES
Force
A force is a push or a pull that acts on an object due to interaction with another object.
• Pulling is the force you exert to move something closer to you. When you pull a block, it moves
toward you.
• The opposite of pulling is pushing. Pushing is the force you exert to move something away from
you. When you push a block, it moves away from you.

There are two main categories of force:

1. Contact forces result from two objects touching each other.
Examples: dribbling a basketball, kicking a soccer ball, and hitting a shuttlecock
2. Non-contact forces act on an object without coming into contact (without touching) with
another object.
Examples: gravitational force, magnetic force, and electrostatic force
Effect of forces on objects:
• A force can change the size and shape of an object.
• A force can make a stationary object move.
• A force can speed up, slow down, or stop a moving object.
• A force can change the direction of a moving object.

Real-life situations where forces are applied:

• pushing a cart
• kicking a soccer ball
• modeling a lump of clay
• the strong wind that moves a sailboat
• kicking hard an empty can used in a game of Tumbang Preso.

WAYS BY WHICH FORCES ACT ON AN OBJECT

Types of Contact Force:
1. Friction is a force that happens when two surfaces rub against each other. It's like a sticky force
that can make things harder to move smoothly.
Examples:
• Rubbing your hands together – Your hands feel warm because friction creates heat.
• A ball rolling on the ground slows down – The ground’s friction makes it stop.
• A car’s tires grip the road – Friction helps the car move and stop safely.
2. Resistance is a force that happens when something tries to slow down or stop another thing
from moving.
Examples:
• A parachute opening – Air pushes up to slow you down.
• A paper falling slowly – Air pushes against the paper as it falls.
• Riding a bike fast – You feel air pushing against your face.
3. Tension force is a type of force that happens when an object is pulled in opposite directions by
two forces.
Examples:
• Pulling a bucket from a well – The rope pulls the bucket up using tension.
• Flying a kite – The string pulls the kite against the wind.
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 • Playing tug-of-war – Both teams pull the rope with tension on both sides.
4. Applied force is when one object pushes or pulls on another object. It happens when you use
your muscles to push or pull an object in a certain direction.
Examples:
• Pushing a door open – You apply force with your hand.
• Pulling a sled – You pull the rope to make it move.
• Pushing a toy car – You make it roll by applying force.
5. Normal force is a type of contact force that is exerted by a surface perpendicular to an object in
contact with it.
Examples:
• A book resting on a table – The table pushes up to hold the book.
• Standing on the floor – The floor pushes up on your feet, so you don’t fall through.
• A ball sitting on the ground – The ground pushes up on the ball to keep it in place.
6. Buoyant force is a contact force that acts on an object that is submerged or partially submerged
in fluid (such as water or air).
Examples:
• A boat floating on water – The water pushes the boat up, so it doesn’t sink.
• A rubber duck in the bathtub – The water pushes up on the duck and keeps it floating.
• A person swimming – The water supports your body and helps you stay afloat

Types of Non-Contact Force:

1. Magnetic force is a force that attracts or repels magnetic objects. It is the push or pull exerted
by a magnet.
Examples:
• A magnet sticking to the refrigerator – The magnet pulls toward the metal door.
• Two magnets pushing apart – When the same poles face each other, they repel.
• A magnet pulling paper clips – The paper clips move toward the magnet without
touching it.
2. Gravitational force is the force by which an object attracts another object towards itself. The
Earth pulls objects towards itself due to its gravitational force.
Examples:
• An apple falling from a tree – The Earth’s gravity pulls the apple down.
• Jumping up and coming back down – Gravity pulls you back to the ground.
• The Moon orbiting the Earth – Gravity keeps the Moon moving around our planet.
3. Electrostatic force is the force that exists between electrically charged particles.
Examples:
• Rubbing a balloon on your hair – Your hair stands up because it’s attracted to the
charged balloon.
• Small bits of paper jumping toward a comb – After combing dry hair, the comb attracts
paper pieces.
• A plastic ruler picking up tissue pieces – The charged ruler pulls the tissue without
touching it.
Activity 1:
Directions: Read each situation carefully. Write “Contact” or “Non-Contact” in Column 1. Write
the type of force in Column 2 (for example: frictional, gravitational, magnetic, etc.).

Type of Force
Situation Contact or non-contact (Friction, resistance, tension,
applied, normal, buoyant,
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 magnetic, gravitational, and
electrostatic)
1. A boy pushes a toy car, and
it starts moving.
2. A magnet pulls a paperclip
toward it.
3. A book resting on a table
stays in place.
4. A swimmer floating on
water.
5. You rub your palms together
and feel warmth.
6. The Earth pulls an apple
down from a tree.
7. A kite is flying while you
hold the string.
8. Two students are playing
tug-of-war with a rope.
9. A piece of paper falls slowly
through the air.
10. Your hair stands up when
you rub a balloon on it.

SCIENCE 7
WEEK 1 – DAY 2
MEASURING FORCE
What is Force?
Force is a push or pull that makes things move, stop, or change direction. Everything that moves
needs a force.
Examples:
Pushing a swing, pulling a toy car, or kicking a ball

How Do We Measure Force?

• We measure force using a special tool called a spring balance (also called a force meter).
• The unit used to measure force is called Newton (N).
- N is the unit of Newton
• It was named after Sir Isaac Newton, a scientist who studied motion and gravity.
• 1 Newton is about the force you need to lift a small apple.

Parts of a Spring Balance

Hook – Where you hang the object.
Spring – Stretches when you pull it; the more it stretches,
the more force you use.
Scale – Shows how many Newtons of force are being used.

How It Works
When you pull or hang an object on the spring balance, the
spring stretches. A light object makes the spring stretch a
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little. A heavy object makes the spring stretch more. The pointer on the scale tells you how strong the
force is in Newtons.

Example
If you hang a small eraser on a spring balance and it reads 1 N, that means the eraser pulls down with
a force of 1 Newton due to gravity. If you hang a heavier book and it reads 5 N, that means the book
pulls down with 5 Newtons of force.

Examples of measuring force.

ACTIVITY 2.1: Guess the Force!
Directions: Read each situation below and guess which object needs more or less force. Write “More
Force” or “Less Force” beside each item.

1. Pushing a big box across the floor = __________________________________

2. Lifting a small pencil = __________________________________
3 Pulling a heavy backpack = __________________________________
4 Opening a light door = __________________________________
5. Pushing a large cart full of groceries = __________________________________

Activity 2.2: Force Ranking Challenge

Directions: Rank the given situation from smallest to largest force. Write numbers 1-5, (1 =
smallest force 5 = largest force).
Rank
1. Pushing a shopping cart =
2. Blowing a balloon =
3. Kicking a soccer ball =
4. Lifting a chair =
5. Pulling a zipper =

Remember:
More weight = more force needed.
Less weight = less force needed.
Force is measured in Newtons using a spring balance.