C Curriculum Explorer
Science·Forces & Motion·procedural

Investigating Forces

Plan and carry out investigations into forces, including measuring force with a newton meter, investigating Hooke's Law, and collecting and interpreting motion data to test Newton's laws

Suggested ages 12–13

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Evidence of understanding

  • Uses a newton meter correctly to measure forces in newtons
  • Sets up and conducts a Hooke's Law investigation, recording force and extension and plotting a graph
  • Identifies and controls variables in a force investigation
  • Calculates acceleration from force and mass data and compares with experimental results

Assessment prompt

If Investigating Forces set up an experiment hanging weights on a spring and measuring how much it stretched, could they describe how they would make it a fair test, record the results, and show what Hooke's Law looks like on a graph?

Standards alignment

MS-PS2-1US · ngss-ms

MS-PS2-1

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Middle School

KS3.Sci.Phys.MotionAndForces.9GB · uk-nc-2013

Elastic Potential Energy and Hooke's Law

The national curriculum in England: Key stages 1 and 2 framework document · KS3

KS3.Sci.WS.SA.3GB · uk-nc-2013

Plan and carry out scientific enquiries

The national curriculum in England: Key stages 1 and 2 framework document · KS3