Unit 4: Moving Objects

11 Force, Work and Energy

NCF Competencies Covered: C-2.1,
Expected Learning Outcomes C-4.3, C-4.6, C-6.2, C-7.1 and C-7.2

Knowledge to be gained : • Force • Forces in nature • Simple machine and its types
• Energy and its sources
Skill to be developed : • How to use simple machines to do more work with less force.
Attitude to be inculcated : • Smart work is as necessary as hard work.
What do we do to open or close a drawer?
To open a drawer, we pull it outside with our hands. Similarly, to close the drawer, we push it
back in. This act of pulling or pushing is an act that requires force. You cannot see or touch
force, but you can feel its effect. Force is required to move any object. Force is also required to
stop any moving object.

Pulling a drawer Pushing a drawer

FORCE
Force is either a push or a pull. You apply force while
pulling a cart standing on the ground. Similarly, you
apply force while pushing it. In both situations, you
apply force on the object and do some work.
The force causes things to move or stop, or to change
their direction, size or shape. For example, while
playing cricket, the batter uses force to hit the ball and
the fielder uses force to throw the ball back. In the
game of tennis, you use force to change the direction
of the tennis ball. You can also change the size and
shape of a rubber ball filled with air, by pressing it.
Examples of applying force
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FORCES IN NATURE
In nature, there are two types of forces that are acting all the time, namely, gravity and
friction.
GRAVITY
What happens when we throw a ball into the air? It comes back to the ground. The force that
pulls objects downwards towards the centre of the Earth is called gravity.

Sir Issac Newton was

Do
You ? an English Physicist
and Mathema cian
Know who discovered
gravity.
The gravita onal pull of
the Sun is hundreds of
mes greater than that
of the Earth. The Sun's
strong gravita onal pull
ensures that all planets
revolve around it, on
their fixed paths.

When we throw a ball up in the air, it first goes up and then comes down
When you throw the ball up, you throw it with a force, which is a lot more than the force with
which the Earth is pulling it down (gravity). So it rises. As the ball moves up, it loses this
force and then the Earth's force (gravity) pulls it down.
FRICTION
What happens when you push a toy cart on a plain floor? It travels some distance and
eventually comes to a halt.
What happens when you push the same toy cart on a rough field? It barely travels any
distance and stops immediately.

Friction
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 This happens due to a force called friction. When the friction is less, the toy cart travels
much further compared to when the friction is high.
When two surfaces are in contact with each other, they exert a force called the force of
friction on each other. Each surface exerts a force in the opposite direction to the other. So,
each force resists the motion of one surface on the other. Friction slows down movement.
If there were no friction, anything that started moving would never stop.
In general, smoother materials like glasses cause less friction, while rougher materials like
carpets produce more friction.

SIMPLE MACHINE AND ITS TYPES

When a work is very difficult for us to do with our hands, we generally use tools called
machines, which make our work easier.
A machine that has only one or two parts is called a simple machine. Some simple
machines that we use are wheel and axle, inclined planes, screws, pulleys and levers.
Wheel and Axle: The axle is a rod that passes through the centre of a wheel and it helps to
lift or move objects. The most common example where it is seen is the bicycle we ride.
Axle Wheel

Load

Wheel

Force

Axle

Wheel and Axle

Inclined Plane: The inclined plane is

a slanting surface, such as a plank of
wood, that helps to connect a lower level
with a higher level. You may have seen an
inclined plane placed against the back of a
truck. Drums and other round objects
can easily be rolled up into the truck or
rolled down onto the ground with the Load
Force
help of an inclined plane. A slide in a park (Gravity)
is also an example of the inclined plane. Inclined Plane
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Pulley: A pulley uses a grooved wheel and a rope to raise, lower or move a weight. You may
have seen people in villages taking out water from a well using a pulley.
Lever: A lever is a long rod used to lift heavy items. We can move big stones using a lever.
When we use a spoon handle to help open the lid of a tin, the spoon acts as a lever!

Load Effort

Fulcrum

Load Effort

Fulcrum
Pulley Lever
There are many other examples of simple machines. We use a knife to cut an apple. The knife
makes it easier for us to cut the apple. Here, the knife is also a simple machine.
Similarly, we use a screw to join things together. It is also a simple machine.

ENERGY AND ITS SOURCES NCF C-4.3

Energy is the ability to do work. We are able to do all types of work only when we have energy.
We need energy to do everything, right from the basic
things like reading, walking and talking, to the difficult
tasks like lifting, carrying and climbing.
Energy exists in various forms, such as chemical,
electrical, magnetic, mechanical, heat, light and sound
energy. Energy changes easily from one form to another.
Sources of Energy
There are many sources of energy on Earth but the
primary source of almost all energy is the Sun. Green
plants trap the Sun's energy to make food. This energy
further gets transferred to humans and animals when
they consume food. Sources of energy
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 Sun: The main source of all energy on Earth is the Sun. The energy of the Sun is called solar
energy. Solar energy is used in many ways.
Plants use solar energy to make food in the green leaves. Food has energy stored in a
chemical form.
We get heat and light energy from the Sun. Solar energy can also be used to produce electric
energy using photovoltaic cells. Nowadays, solar lamps, solar cookers and solar heaters are
widely used. In this case, solar energy is converted into electrical energy using a special
battery (photovoltaic cells).
Wind: The energy of the wind turns windmills, which in turn move other machines called
turbines, which then help to produce electrical energy.
Water: Moving water also has a lot of energy in it. To use this energy, we build dams. Dams
allow the water to fall with force, from a height, onto turbines. Turbines then move and help
produce electrical energy.

Solar panels Windmills Dam

CHECK YOURSELF
Tick (3) the correct option:
1. The main source of all energy on Earth is:
(a) the Sun (b) the Moon (c) Jupiter
2. Energy received from the Sun is called:
(a) electrical energy (b) lunar energy (c) solar energy
3. Windmill is used to obtain:
(a) electrical energy (b) lunar energy (c) solar energy

NEW WORDS
Gravity : the force with which the Earth pulls objects towards itself
Fric on : the force that opposes movement
Machines : things that make our works easier
Energy : the ability to do work

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 SUMMARY
v Force is a push or pull.
v The force that pulls objects downwards towards the centre of the Earth is called gravity.
v Friction slows down moving objects.
v A machine that has one or two parts is called a simple machine.
v Wheel and axle, inclined plane, pulley and lever are different kinds of simple machines.
v Energy is the ability to do work.
v The main source of all energy on Earth is the Sun and its energy is called solar energy.
v Wind energy makes windmills spin, which turns turbines to produce electrical energy.
v Moving water also has a lot of energy in it.

Exercise
A. Name the following:
1. The force with which the Earth pulls objects towards itself. ___________
2. The force that tries to stop movement in a body. ___________
3. Things that make our work easier. ___________
B. Select the best alternative for each of the following:
1. Gravity is a type of ___________.
(i) friction (ii) force
(iii) energy (iv) work
2. What is true about energy?
(i) Energy has weight.
(ii) Energy exists in many forms.
(iii) All forms of energy can be seen.
(iv) A light bulb is energy.
3. The energy possessed by which of these is used to turn turbines?
(i) Water (ii) The Sun
(iii) Plants (iv) Petroleum
C. Answer the following questions:
1. What is gravity?
2. What do you mean by friction?
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 D. Fill in the blanks:
1. A ________________ is a long rod used to lift heavy objects.
2. A ________________ makes our work easier.
3. Sun, wind and water are examples of ________________ of energy.
4. Pulls and pushes are examples of ________________.
E. True or False:
1. Energy cannot be changed from one form to another. _________
2. Existence on Earth would be better if there was no friction. _________
3. The force with which the Earth pulls objects towards itself is called gravity.
_________
4. To use the energy of the wind, dams are built. _________
5. The bicycle is a wheel and axle type of machine. _________
F. Answer the following questions in your own words:
1. Name the different kinds of simple machines.
2. Is wind a source of energy? If yes, how?
3. What is energy? Name the different forms of energy.
4. What is force? What could happen when we apply force on an object?
5. What are the types of natural forces we know?

Activity Time Critical Thinking

Find the names of six simple machines hidden in the maze shown below:

P O S L U L C A ________________

S C R E W E L X ________________

C T A O P V E L ________________

I R M L L E V E ________________
N E P U L L E Y
________________
W E D G E E R S
________________

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Be a Young
Researcher NCF C-6.2

You have read in the chapter that a knife used in the kitchen is a simple machine. Similarly,
a screw is also a simple machine. Observe various simple machines around you that we use
in our day-to-day life.
Make a list of such simple machines. Collect pictures of some simple machines and write
how they are useful to us.

Subject Link : Social Studies

A list of some major dams in India has been given below. Fill in the blanks. You can take
the help of your teacher.

List of Major Dams in India State River

Sardar Sarovar Dam Gujarat

Nagarjuna Sagar Dam Krishna

Hirakud Dam Mahanadi

Bhakra Nangal Dam Punjab-Himachal Pradesh Border

Tehri Dam Uttarakhand

FOOTNOTE
• Discuss the importance of abundance of solar energy.
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