Texas TEKS 6.7.C
The Standard
identify simultaneous force pairs that are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction that result from the interactions between objects using Newton's Third Law of Motion.
Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students examine two interacting objects and name the force each object exerts on the other. They show that the forces occur together, match in size, point in opposite directions, and act on different objects.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Given a collision, push, or pull, students can identify the force pair. They can draw equal-length arrows in opposite directions and label the source and target of each force.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think the two forces cancel, even though they act on different objects. They may think one force happens first or that the larger object exerts a larger force.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: A skateboarder pushes backward on the ground with 40 N. Draw and label the paired force, including its size, direction, source, and target.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Students hook two spring scales together, pull steadily, and compare readings while changing pull strength.
Show a swimmer pushing water backward and ask, "What pushes the swimmer forward, and how do the two forces compare?"
Run a card sort where students match interaction pictures to paired force statements and reject forces acting on the same object.
Analyze a phone video of a basketball bounce, labeling the force of the ball on the floor and the floor on the ball.
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Printable 6.7.C Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 6.7.C, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
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Related Standards
- 8.7.B
investigate and describe how Newton's three laws of motion act simultaneously within systems such as in vehicle restraints, sports activities, amusement park ri...
- 3.7.A
demonstrate and describe forces acting on an object in contact or at a distance, including magnetism, gravity, and pushes and pulls; and
- 6.7.B
calculate the net force on an object in a horizontal or vertical direction using diagrams and determine if the forces are balanced or unbalanced; and
- 5.7.A
investigate and explain how equal and unequal forces acting on an object cause patterns of motion and transfer of energy; and
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