Lesson T2.2.5

T2.2.5 Non-contact forces Quiz: KS3 Physics, Unit 2

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson T2.2.5, Non-contact forces: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Physics (National Curriculum), Unit 2: Motion and forces, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. A compass needle turns to point north. Which force causes this?

    • Gravity from the Sun, which pulls the needle round towards the sunlight
    • The magnetic force from the Earth's magnetic field
    • Friction with the compass case, which turns the needle as the compass is moved
    • Static electricity in the needle, which is charged by the air around it

  2. What happens when two like magnetic poles are brought close together?

    • They fuse together
    • They attract each other
    • They repel each other
    • They have no effect

  3. What happens when opposite magnetic poles are brought close together?

    • They attract each other
    • They stay still
    • They repel each other
    • They heat up

  4. What is the weight of a 5 kg mass on Earth, where g is 10 N/kg?

    • 5 N
    • 0.5 N
    • 50 N
    • 500 N

  5. Which two factors does the weight of an object depend on?

    • Its speed and its direction of travel, which change how heavy it feels
    • Its temperature and pressure, which change how heavy it feels to hold
    • Its volume and its colour, which together change how heavy it feels
    • Its mass and the gravitational field strength

  6. A 2 kg object is taken to the Moon, where gravity is weaker. Which statement is correct?

    • Its mass increases, because the Moon's gravity pulls more matter into it
    • Its mass stays the same but its weight is less
    • Its mass and its weight both halve, because the Moon is about half the size
    • Its weight stays the same, because the mass of the object does not change

  7. A balloon rubbed on hair sticks to a wall. What causes this?

    • Friction between the balloon and the wall
    • Upthrust from the air
    • Static electricity attraction
    • Magnetic repulsion

  8. Two negatively charged objects are brought close together. What happens?

    • They stay neutral
    • They attract each other
    • They repel each other
    • They cancel each other out

  9. The Moon stays in orbit around the Earth. Which kind of force keeps it there?

    • A contact force from the atmosphere, which pushes the Moon round the Earth
    • An upthrust from the Sun, which lifts the Moon up and away from the Earth
    • A non-contact gravitational force acting across space
    • A friction force from space dust, which holds the Moon in place around Earth

  10. A steel nail is attracted towards a magnet. Which statement must be true?

    • The nail is itself a magnet with the same poles as the magnet it is pulled towards
    • The nail is made of a material such as iron that magnets attract
    • The nail has no mass, so the magnet pulls it across the gap without resistance
    • The nail is positively charged, so it is pulled by the magnet across the gap

  11. Why does a 10 kg object weigh more on Earth than on the Moon?

    • The Moon's gravity repels the object
    • The Moon has more mass
    • Earth's gravitational field strength is greater
    • Earth's atmosphere adds weight to objects

  12. Which change would increase the weight of an object on Earth?

    • Increasing its mass
    • Changing its colour
    • Moving it faster
    • Making it hotter

  13. A satellite orbits the Earth. Which force keeps it in orbit?

    • Upthrust from the atmosphere
    • Gravity
    • Friction with the air
    • Magnetism from the Sun

  14. A 3 kg object is on Earth, where g is 10 N/kg. What is its weight?

    • 300 N
    • 0.3 N
    • 3 N
    • 30 N

  15. Two positively charged balls are placed near each other. Which non-contact force acts between them?

    • Tension in a string joining them
    • Air resistance between the balls
    • Repulsion between the balls
    • Friction between the balls

  16. A 4 kg object weighs 40 N on Earth. What does it weigh on a planet where g is 2 N/kg?

    • 2 N
    • 40 N
    • 8 N
    • 80 N

  17. A 6 kg object is on a planet where g is 5 N/kg. What is its weight?

    • 11 N
    • 60 N
    • 30 N
    • 1.2 N

  18. Why does a magnet attract a paperclip through a wooden table?

    • The magnetic force acts through wood, which is not magnetic, at a distance
    • The table is magnetic, so it passes the magnet's pull on to the paperclip
    • Wood conducts magnetism through its grain, carrying the pull to the paperclip
    • The magnet creates heat in the wood, which softens it so the paperclip moves

  19. Which statement about non-contact forces is correct?

    • They need the objects to be in direct contact
    • They act across a gap without the objects touching
    • They act only on liquids
    • They are always weaker than contact forces

  20. A 7 kg object sits on Earth, where g is 10 N/kg. What is its weight?

    • 700 N
    • 0.7 N
    • 70 N
    • 7 N

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