Forces and Magnets — Year 3 Science

Year 3 forces and magnets: what pupils learn

In Year 3, pupils investigate how things move on different surfaces and discover that magnets are a force that works without touching.

By the end of Year 3, the National Curriculum expects pupils to:

• compare how things move on different surfaces
• notice that some forces need contact between two objects, but magnetic forces can act at a distance
• observe how magnets attract or repel each other, and attract some materials but not others
• sort everyday materials by whether they are attracted to a magnet, and identify some magnetic materials
• describe magnets as having two poles
• predict whether two magnets will attract or repel, depending on which poles are facing

Key vocabulary

force, push, pull, surface, friction, magnet, magnetic, non-magnetic, attract, repel, north pole, south pole, contact force

How it builds

Year 3 builds on pushes, pulls and changing shapes from Key Stage 1. In Year 5, pupils study gravity, air resistance, water resistance and friction, and how levers, pulleys and gears let a small force have a bigger effect.

Frequently asked questions

Are all metals magnetic?
No. Iron, steel, nickel and cobalt are attracted to magnets, but many common metals, such as aluminium, copper, brass and gold, are not. A drinks can test is a great surprise for many children.

When do magnets attract and when do they repel?
Opposite poles (north and south) attract. Like poles (north and north, or south and south) repel, pushing each other apart.

Why do things move differently on different surfaces?
Rough surfaces create more friction than smooth ones, so a toy car slows down faster on carpet than on a smooth floor.

Start with our free resources, or get every Year 3 science lesson with a membership.