This MCQ module is based on: Exploring Forces — Exercises
Exploring Forces — Exercises
Chapter Summary at a Glance
Chapter 5 opened with simple questions — why is pedaling uphill harder, why things fall, why knives are sharp — and revealed that one idea, force, is behind all of them. Here is a quick bird's-eye view of the types of force we met.
| Category | Force | Needs Contact? | Key Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact | Muscular force | Yes | Pushing a door, lifting books |
| Friction | Yes | Ball slowing on the floor | |
| Non-Contact | Magnetic force | No | Magnet attracting iron pins |
| Electrostatic force | No | Rubbed balloon attracting hair | |
| Gravitational force | No | Apple falling from a tree |
Key formulas: Pressure \( P = \dfrac{F}{A} \) (SI unit: pascal, Pa). Weight \( W = m \times g \). Upthrust = weight of fluid displaced (Archimedes' principle).
Key Terms to Remember
NCERT Exercises
Attempt each question on your own first — then click the button to compare with the model answer.
1What is force? What is its SI unit?
2State the four effects of force. Give one example of each.
(ii) Change in speed: Applying brakes on a bicycle slows it down.
(iii) Change in direction: A batsman hits a ball flying toward him and it goes sideways.
(iv) Change in shape: Pressing soft dough flattens it into a chapati.
3Match each type of force in Column A with the situation in Column B.
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| (i) Muscular force | (a) cricket ball stopping on its own just before touching the boundary line |
| (ii) Magnetic force | (b) child lifting a school bag |
| (iii) Frictional force | (c) fruit falling from a tree |
| (iv) Gravitational force | (d) balloon rubbed on woollen cloth attracting hair strands |
| (v) Electrostatic force | (e) compass needle pointing North |
(ii) → (e) A compass needle aligns with Earth's magnetic field.
(iii) → (a) Friction between ball and ground slows the ball to a stop.
(iv) → (c) Earth's gravity pulls the fruit straight down.
(v) → (d) The rubbed balloon is charged and attracts hair by electrostatic force.
4Name the three types of friction. Give one everyday example of each.
(ii) Sliding friction — between surfaces in relative sliding motion. Example: a book you drag across a table.
(iii) Rolling friction — when one surface rolls on another. Example: a bicycle wheel turning on the road.
5Why is rolling friction less than sliding friction?
6Give three situations where friction is helpful and three where it is harmful.
Harmful: (i) Wearing out of shoe soles, tyres and machine parts. (ii) Wastage of fuel energy as heat in engines. (iii) Heating of moving parts, which can damage machinery.
7Why are cyclists (in races) and race cars designed with streamlined shapes?
8Define pressure. Why is a knife edge kept sharp? Why does a camel have wide feet?
Sharp knife: A sharp edge has a very small contact area. For the same downward force, a small area gives very high pressure, so the knife cuts easily into vegetables or fruit.
Wide camel feet: Camels live on sand. Their wide, padded feet spread the camel's weight over a large area. A larger area reduces the pressure on the sand, so the feet do not sink deep and the animal can walk comfortably.
9Explain buoyancy. Why does a coin sink in water but a ship float?
Coin: A solid metal coin has a very small volume, so it displaces a tiny amount of water. That water's weight is much less than the coin's weight, so upthrust cannot balance the weight — the coin sinks.
Ship: Though made of heavy steel, a ship is hollow and has a large volume. It pushes aside a huge quantity of water. The weight of that displaced water is equal to (or greater than) the ship's weight, so the upthrust supports it and the ship floats.
10Your friend is pushing a box on the floor, but the box is not moving. What forces are acting on the box? Are they balanced or unbalanced?
11On the Moon, an object falls more slowly than on Earth. Why?
12What is electrostatic force? Give two examples from daily life.
Example 1: When a plastic comb is rubbed on dry hair and brought near small pieces of paper, the paper pieces jump up and stick to the comb — the charged comb attracts them.
Example 2: On a cold dry day, taking off a woollen sweater makes a crackling sound and sparks can sometimes be seen — charges built up by friction discharge through the air.