Grade 8 Science Worksheets
Why do you lurch forward when a car brakes? Why do rockets work in empty space? One man in a powdered wig explained it all.
Open this lesson free →
Browse all grades
What your child will learn: Forces, Motion & Newton's Laws
- Newton's 1st Law (Inertia): objects keep doing what they're doing unless a force acts. Seatbelts exist because YOUR body keeps moving when the car stops!
- Newton's 2nd Law: Force = mass × acceleration. Heavier objects need more force to speed up: pushing a bike vs. pushing a truck.
- Newton's 3rd Law: every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Rockets push gas DOWN, gas pushes rocket UP.
- Friction is a force that resists sliding; gravity pulls objects toward each other, and Earth pulls you at 9.8 m/s²!
Sample worksheet questions
1. Why do seatbelts save lives, in physics terms?
Answer: Inertia: your body keeps moving at car speed until a force (the belt, not the windshield) stops it
2. How does the 3rd law explain a rocket launch?
Answer: The rocket pushes exhaust down; the exhaust pushes the rocket up equally
3. Which law explains why you lurch forward when a car brakes?
Answer: Newton's 1st Law, inertia
4. Using F = ma, how much force accelerates a 10 kg box at 3 m/s²?
Answer: 30 newtons (10 × 3)
5. What force pulls you toward Earth at 9.8 m/s²?
Answer: Gravity
These are generated fresh every time. Press New Worksheet in the app for a brand-new set, with a printable answer key.
Try it at home
🎈 Balloon Rocket: Thread a straw on a string across the room, tape an inflated balloon to it, and release. Newton's 3rd law, live in your living room!
Please note: BrightSprouts Academy is a supplemental learning resource for
families. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or a replacement for any official school
curriculum, school district, state education agency, or the U.S. Department of Education. Our
lessons follow widely used US scope-and-sequence guidance as a helpful reference only. Always
follow your child's school, district and state requirements.