How Heat Is Produced: Friction, Burning and Electricity — Answers
Answer sheet with model answers and success criteria for the 3rd Grade energy, light, sound & electricity worksheet.
Success TutoringWorksheetsAnswer sheet3rd Grade · Science · Energy, Light, Sound & ElectricityHow Heat Is Produced: Friction, Burning and Electricity — Answers
Part A: Where does heat come from?
Read the passage. Then circle the best answer.
Heat is a form of energy. It can be produced in many ways.
The Sun gives off huge amounts of heat that warm the land, air and water. Burning fuels such as wood, gas and candle wax produces heat and light.
Friction produces heat. When two surfaces rub together, they warm up — try rubbing your hands. Electricity produces heat when it flows through wires in toasters, kettles, irons and heaters.
Living things produce heat too. Your body makes heat from the food you eat, which keeps you warm. A compost heap gets warm as tiny living things break down the plant waste.
Heat can be dangerous. Always ask an adult before using anything that gets hot.
- AElectricity is made.
- BFriction produces heat.
- CCold air is pushed away.
- DYour hands burn fuel.
Answer: Friction produces heat.
Rubbing surfaces together causes friction, and friction produces heat.
- Asunlight shines on it
- Belectricity flows through its wires
- Cit is rubbed
- Dit burns wood
Answer: electricity flows through its wires
Electricity flowing through the toaster's wires makes them hot.
- Athe Moon
- Belectric heaters
- Cthe Sun
- Dcampfires
Answer: the Sun
The Sun heats the whole Earth.
- Ait is put in the fridge
- Bits wax and wick burn
- Cit is rubbed on paper
- Dit is plugged in
Answer: its wax and wick burn
Burning is a way of producing heat (and light).
- AFriction between the pad and the wheel produces heat.
- BThe Sun shines on it.
- CElectricity flows through it.
- DThe air is warm.
Answer: Friction between the pad and the wheel produces heat.
The brake pad rubs on the wheel. That friction produces heat.
Part B: Heat sources
- a campfire
- an electric kettle
- sliding down a rope fast
- warm sand at the beach
- friction
- the Sun
- burning
- electricity
Answer: a campfire → burning; an electric kettle → electricity; sliding down a rope fast → friction; warm sand at the beach → the Sun
Answer: friction
Answer: food
Answer: Useful: e.g. cooking food or warming a room. Dangerous: e.g. burns from a hot stove, or fires.
Part C: True or false?
Write True or False.
Answer: True
Rubbing surfaces together warms them.
Answer: False
The Sun, friction, electricity and living things also produce heat.
Answer: False
A coat keeps in the heat your body makes; it does not make heat itself.
Answer: True
Bodies turn energy from food into heat.
Part D: Thinking scientifically: keeping warm
Model answer: I could rub my hands together and keep moving, because friction and my muscles working produce heat. I could also sit close to a friend, because our bodies make heat from food. Putting on more layers keeps that heat in.
Success criteria:
- Gives two sensible ways
- Names a heat source for each (friction, body heat, Sun)
Marking tips
- Give credit for correct method even when the final answer slips — the working shows where the thinking went right.
- For open-ended tasks, use the success criteria as a checklist rather than looking for one "right" answer.
- Celebrate what went well first, then pick one thing to work on next.