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Acting Across a Gap is a free printable Grade 3 science worksheet on cause and effect in electric and magnetic interactions without contact, aligned to Common Core standard 3-PS2-3. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two pupils in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 2 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Acting Across a Gap

3-PS2-3

NameDate

Circle the best answer.

1.A rubbed balloon picks up small pieces of paper. What is the cause?
  • A.The paper is magnetic
  • B.The balloon is sticky
  • C.An electric charge on the balloon attracts them
2.Two magnets pushed together the wrong way spring apart. What is the cause?
  • A.The air pushed them
  • B.Like poles repel each other
  • C.They are too heavy
3.A magnet moves a clip through a sheet of paper. What does that show?
  • A.Paper is magnetic
  • B.The pull passes through some materials
  • C.The clip is paper
4.A clip does not move at 8 cm but does at 4 cm. What does distance do?
  • A.Further is stronger
  • B.The nearer the magnet, the stronger the effect
  • C.Distance makes no difference
5.How would you show a pull acts across a gap?
  • A.Touch the clip with the magnet
  • B.Weigh the magnet
  • C.Measure the distance at which the clip first moves
6.Why is the magnet's effect a cause-and-effect relationship?
  • A.Moving the magnet nearer causes the clip to move
  • B.Because it is interesting
  • C.Because clips are metal
7.A paperclip jumps to a magnet 4 cm away. What does that show?
  • A.A magnet can pull without touching
  • B.The clip was already moving
  • C.Something invisible pushed it
8.The steel plate stopped the magnet moving the clip. What does that show?
  • A.The clip was tired
  • B.Some materials block the magnetic pull
  • C.Magnets stop working near steel

LessonPrint · 3-PS2-3 · Set 2 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Acting Across a Gap

Set 2. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.An electric charge on the balloon attracts them
  2. 2.Like poles repel each other
  3. 3.The pull passes through some materials
  4. 4.The nearer the magnet, the stronger the effect
  5. 5.Measure the distance at which the clip first moves
  6. 6.Moving the magnet nearer causes the clip to move
  7. 7.A magnet can pull without touching
  8. 8.Some materials block the magnetic pull

More practice for 3-PS2-3

Ask what causes two objects to attract or repel without touching.

Teaching this next? Acting Across a Gap is the 55-minute plan for it, with the misconceptions to expect.

All Grade 3 worksheets

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to 3-PS2-3 of the Next Generation Science Standards.