Science Assessment ~ Topics ~ Force and Motion ~ Item FM098002 ~ Student Performance

A person is riding a snowmobile in a snowy field. Suddenly, a very strong wind begins to blow toward the oncoming snowmobile, and the wind continues to blow for a while. During the time the wind is blowing, the force of the wind is greater than the force that is moving the snowmobile forward.

What will happen to the speed of the snowmobile while the strong wind is blowing?

The snowmobile will slow down for a while and then move at a slower constant speed.
The snowmobile will move at constant speed for a while, and then slow down.
The snowmobile will move at constant speed the entire time.
The snowmobile will slow down the entire time.

Distribution of responses
Answer Choice		Overall	Grades		Gender		Primary Language
		n = 3522	6–8 n = 2232	9–12 n = 1281	Male n = 1680	Female n = 1771	English n = 3174	Other n = 278
A.	The snowmobile will slow down for a while and then move at a slower constant speed.	39%	37%	42%	38%	41%	40%	32%
B.	The snowmobile will move at constant speed for a while, and then slow down.	16%	18%	14%	14%	18%	16%	27%
C.	The snowmobile will move at constant speed the entire time.	14%	15%	12%	15%	13%	14%	19%
D.	The snowmobile will slow down the entire time.	30%	30%	31%	33%	27%	31%	22%

Science Assessment

Item FM098002: A moving snowmobile will slow down the entire time that the force of the wind moving toward the snowmobile is greater than the force moving the snowmobile forward.