Year 8 · Science · beta

Moving by force

This unit explores speed, forces, and motion, including effects on objects. It covers deriving equations, calculations, and distance-time graphs. Learn to use force arrows, identify balanced and unbalanced forces, and understand their impact on movement.

This is an attributed Oak National Academy lesson sequence, not a completed or academically approved DASKEREL course. Supporting transcripts may depend on video, images, practical equipment or teacher explanation. Follow each lesson’s supervision guidance. For religious education and RSHE, follow the school’s syllabus, policy and safeguarding procedures.

Prior knowledge

  • Increasing the mass and/or speed of objects makes their movement harder to change.
  • Forces make things changes and bigger forces cause greater change.
  • Newton meters are used to measure force.
  • Force arrows show the direction and size of a force.
  • The resultant force is the difference in size of two forces acting in opposite directions.
  • A gravitational force pulls objects towards Earth.
  • Air resistance, water resistance and friction push back against moving objects.
  • Friction prevents or slows down movement between surfaces.
  • Friction is caused by the roughness of surfaces.
  • Forces can transfer energy.

Source curriculum references

  • Present observations and data using appropriate methods, including tables and graphs
  • Use and derive simple equations and carry out appropriate calculations
  • Speed and the quantitative relationship between average speed, distance and time (speed = distance ÷ time)
  • The representation of a journey on a distance-time graph
  • Relative motion: trains and cars passing one another
  • Forces as pushes or pulls, arising from the interaction between 2 objects
  • Using force arrows in diagrams, adding forces in 1 dimension, balanced and unbalanced forces
  • Forces being needed to cause objects to stop or start moving, or to change their speed or direction of motion (qualitative only)
  • Change depending on direction of force and its size

Oak source metadata. DASKEREL has not independently verified school-level coverage.

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