Digital Inquiry - Gravity

Last updated 7 months ago

8 questions

What effect does gravity have on us and our world?

VIDEO: Gravity

Click the link to watch the 4-minute video and learn what gravity is and how it works.

How are weight and mass different?

Why is the gravitational pull between Earth and the Moon stronger than Earth and Pluto?

TEXT: Gravity

Why do all objects fall back to Earth?

How do scientists detect more distant planets outside of our solar system?

TEXT: GRAVITY & MASS
What would happen if you threw a 2kg (kilogram) backpack of rocks and a 4kg backpack of rocks off a tall building? 

It seems like backpack of rocks with greater mass should get to the ground faster.  However, there is more to consider when gravity pulls at falling objects.

Gravity is the force that pulls objects (backpacks) toward the center of another object (Earth). The force of gravity increases for greater mass, but the greater mass also requires more force to pull it.

A backpack that is 4 kg has two times the mass as the backpack that is 2 kg.  But, the force of gravity is twice as strong on the 4 kg backpack than the 2 kg backpack.  So, they reach the ground at the same time.

What is the relationship between gravity and mass?

VIDEO: COASTING DOWNHILL
As you watch the video, think about traveling down a hill on your bike or skateboard.

How does friction affect acceleration here on Earth?

VIDEO: FUNDAMENTAL FORCES
Click the link to explore gravity as one of the fundamental forces of the universe.

What effect can be observed because of the gravitational pull between Earth and the Moon?

____________  is the governing force in the universe. Gravity keeps the planets orbiting the Sun, the Moon in orbit with the Earth, and us from ____________  away from our planet.

Gravity is not something we can see, but we can ____________  its effects. When a dog leaps off the ground or we throw a baseball, we can observe how they both return to the ground. This happens because gravity is a force of _______________  between two bodies. Gravitational attraction depends on two factors: _________  and distance. The greater the mass and the closer two objects are, the greater the attraction. One example of evidence of this attraction on a large scale is the __________ . Because bodies of water are fluid, they can move freely and in sync with the Moon as it orbits our planet.

Gravity is also responsible for the thrill associated with acceleration. ____________________  proved that objects, regardless of mass, fall at the same acceleration. However, objects on Earth experience air resistance and friction. Because of this, we see lighter objects fall more
slowly and heavier objects fall faster. In a ___________  like space, friction is not a factor, so all objects fall at the same rate. We use the law of gravity and _________________  in our favor when we coast downhill on our bikes, ride a roller coaster, and skydive.

Gravity’s pull on a body provides us with the property of ___________ . When gravity’s effect is less, you weigh less. When gravity’s effect is greater, your weight is greater. This helps us understand why _______________  who visit the Moon seem to bounce about the surface.