Printable Forces and Motion Worksheets
Forces and motion worksheets teach students how pushes, pulls, friction, and gravity change an object's speed and direction. These printable physics pages feature force arrows, ramp experiments, and answer keys.
Forces and Motion Practice Pack. Ready to Print.
Structured, printable skill sheets with step-by-step guidance for Forces and Motion.
Build My PacketIncluded with Practice Buds MembershipTargeted Practice by Skill
About Forces and Motion
What this skill is
Mechanics examines how net forces act on objects: balanced forces keep an object at rest or at constant velocity, while unbalanced pushes and pulls cause acceleration. Gravity pulls objects toward Earth's center, and friction resists sliding motion.
When children learn it
Pushes and pulls are introduced in kindergarten; balanced/unbalanced forces, friction, and gravity are mastered in 3rd through 5th grade (NGSS 3-PS2-1, 5-PS2-1).
Teaching Tips
- Roll a toy car down a cardboard ramp onto three different household surfaces: bare tile, a bath towel, and wax paper. Measure the roll distance with a tape measure to demonstrate how friction slows moving wheels.
Common Mistakes
- Thinking heavier objects fall significantly faster than light objects in the absence of air resistance.
- Believing an object requires constant force to keep moving once friction is minimized.
- Drawing force arrows pointing in the direction of friction rather than opposite to motion.