Grade 4 · Science · Unit 2 of 8
Gravity & Magnets
Forces that work without touching
What your child practises
Gravity pulls objects toward Earth. Magnets have a north and south pole; like poles repel and unlike poles attract. Children learn which materials are magnetic and that non-contact forces get weaker with distance.
Alberta Curriculum learning outcome: 4E 1.1, 4E 1.2 · non-contact forces: gravity and magnetism, magnetic poles and magnetic materials
Sample questions
A taste of this unit. In the app, questions change every time and get easier or harder to match your child.
Question 1
What is a magnet?
🧲- a type of rock that floats
- an object that attracts some metals
- a kind of battery
- a glowing light
Show answer
an object that attracts some metals
Hint: Magnets pull things made of iron or steel.
Question 2
Two magnets push apart when you try to push them together. What can you say about the poles that face each other?
🧲- they are not magnets
- they are the same kind of pole
- they are opposite poles
- they have no poles
Show answer
they are the same kind of pole
Hint: Like poles repel.
Question 3
What happens when two north poles are brought close together?
↔️- they melt
- they pull together
- nothing happens at all
- they push apart
Show answer
they push apart
Hint: Like poles repel. Unlike poles attract.
Question 4
As two objects move farther apart, what happens to the pull of gravity or of a magnet between them?
🌍- it gets stronger
- it turns into a push
- it stays exactly the same
- it gets weaker
Show answer
it gets weaker
Hint: Non-contact forces act less as objects get farther apart.
Question 5
A magnet can pull a paper clip through a sheet of paper. This shows magnetism…
📎- only works under water
- needs electricity
- works without touching and through some materials
- only works on paper
Show answer
works without touching and through some materials
Hint: The force passes through thin paper.
Question 6
Why does a ball you throw straight up come back down?
🏀- it gets tired
- gravity pulls it toward Earth
- magnets pull it
- the sky pushes it
Show answer
gravity pulls it toward Earth
Hint: Gravity keeps acting on the ball the whole time.