Science Assessment ~ Topics ~ Force and Motion ~ Item FM055004 ~ Student Performance

In the drawing below, the arrows labeled WIND and WATER represent forces acting on a sailboat. The directions of the arrows represent the directions of the forces, and the lengths of the arrows represent the strengths of the forces. The force of the water on the sailboat is stronger than the force of the wind on the sailboat the entire time.

Which statement describes the sailboat’s motion while these forces are acting? Assume that the sailboat does not stop or turn around.

The sailboat’s speed will decrease the entire time.
The sailboat’s speed will stay the same the entire time.
The sailboat’s speed will decrease for a while and then stay the same.
The sailboat’s speed will stay the same for a while and then decrease.

Distribution of responses
Answer Choice		Overall	Grades		Gender		Primary Language
		n = 3511	6–8 n = 2223	9–12 n = 1279	Male n = 1670	Female n = 1771	English n = 3163	Other n = 277
A.	The sailboat’s speed will decrease the entire time.	35%	33%	37%	39%	30%	35%	26%
B.	The sailboat’s speed will stay the same the entire time.	26%	28%	24%	24%	29%	27%	25%
C.	The sailboat’s speed will decrease for a while and then stay the same.	23%	21%	27%	21%	25%	22%	28%
D.	The sailboat’s speed will stay the same for a while and then decrease.	16%	18%	13%	16%	16%	16%	21%

Science Assessment

Item FM055004: The speed of a sailboat will continue to decrease the entire time the force of the water slowing it down is greater than the force of the wind pushing it forward.