MS-PS2-5: Evidence for Fields Between Objects That Do Not Touch
Also called NGSS MS-PS2-5 · Topic: Forces and Interactions · Physical Science
The Official Wording
Conduct an investigation and evaluate the experimental design to provide evidence that fields exist between objects exerting forces on each other even though the objects are not in contact.
Clarification statement: Examples of this phenomenon could include the interactions of magnets, electrically-charged strips of tape, and electrically-charged pith balls. Examples of investigations could include first-hand experiences or simulations.
Assessment boundary: Assessment is limited to electric and magnetic fields, and limited to qualitative evidence for the existence of fields.
NGSS Lead States, 2013 · Read it on nextgenscience.org · checked October 15, 2026
What MS-PS2-5 Means in Plain English
Middle schoolers run an investigation showing that objects can push or pull on each other without touching, because a field fills the space between them. They test magnets or charged objects, then judge whether their own test design gives trustworthy evidence.
Only electric and magnetic fields are included, and the evidence is descriptive, not measured field strength. This builds on 3-PS2-3, which explores magnets and static electricity, and leads to HS-PS3-5, where students model how fields store energy.
MS-PS2-5 I Can Statements
- I can show that objects can push or pull without touching.
- I can use evidence to argue that a field exists around an object.
- I can find weak spots in an investigation design and fix them.
MS-PS2-5 Worked Example
A test with strips of clear tape that become charged when they are peeled apart.
Can charged strips of tape push or pull each other through the air without touching?
Set It Up: A roll of clear tape, a table edge to hang strips from, and a ruler.
- Stick a strip on the table, press a second strip on top, then peel the pair off and pull them apart fast. Make two pairs.Two top strips, two bottom strips
- Hang a top strip from the table edge and bring the other top strip near it.Top and top: swing apart before touching
- Bring a bottom strip near a hanging top strip.Top and bottom: swing together from about 5 cm
- Run a control: wave two uncharged strips, smoothed with a finger, near each other.Neither one moves
- Critique the setup: close the window and keep breath and fingers away, then retest.Same pushes and pulls, so drafts were not the cause
Charged strips pushed or pulled each other from several centimeters away while the uncharged strips did not, so something in the space between them carries the force.
Why it works: A charged object is surrounded by an electric field, and another charged object in that field feels a force without any contact.
Common Mistakes with MS-PS2-5
Blaming air for the motion
“The strip moved because I breathed on it.”
Try this: Wave an uncharged strip near another uncharged strip as a control. If only charged strips move, the force comes from the field, not air.
Skipping the design critique
Reporting results without checking for drafts or touching
Try this: List what else could move the strips, like drafts, fingers or humid air, and change the setup to rule each one out.
Mixing up electric and magnetic
“The tape is magnetic now.”
Try this: Charged tape acts through an electric field, which also pulls on bits of paper. Magnetic fields act mainly on magnets, iron and steel.
Where MS-PS2-5 Fits
Practice MS-PS2-5
Quick Check
- Two top strips hang near each other and swing apart. What does that show?
- How can a magnet move a paper clip through a sheet of cardboard?
- Why is it a good idea to run this test on a dry day?