Directions: Use the information provided and your knowledge of Physical Science to answer the following questions. Show all work where necessary.
Directions: Use the information provided and your knowledge of Physical Science to answer the following questions. Show all work where necessary.
Diagram 1.
Source: https://vhmsscience.weebly.com/mass-weight--gravity.html
When different objects are hung from the same spring scale at the same location, objects with more mass pull downward with a greater force (greater weight) than objects with less mass.
Gravity is a force of attraction between any two objects that have mass. Near Earth’s surface, gravity pulls objects downward toward the center of Earth. This is why objects have weight. Weight is not the same as mass. Mass is the amount of matter in an object, while weight is the gravitational force acting on that mass.
In this investigation, the interacting objects are Earth and the hanging object. Earth’s mass is extremely large, so the gravitational attraction between Earth and the object pulls the object downward. A spring scale measures this downward pull as a force. Because the object is not in free fall, the scale must provide an upward force to hold it still. The reading on the scale shows how strong gravity is pulling on the object.
One key factor that affects gravitational force is the mass of the objects. If you increase the mass of the hanging object while staying in the same location (same distance from Earth’s center), the gravitational attraction increases. This results in a larger scale reading. The relationship is consistent: if one object has about twice the mass of another, it has about twice the weight at the same location.
By using data from the spring scale and comparing objects with different masses, students can construct an argument that gravitational interactions are attractive and that the strength of the interaction depends on the masses of the interacting objects.
Diagram 2.
Source: https://vhmsscience.weebly.com/mass-weight--gravity.html
Table 1.
Object | Mass (kg) | Weight (N) | Change in Weight from Lightest (N) |
|---|---|---|---|
A | 0.5 | 4.9 | 0 |
B | 1 | 9.8 | 4.9 |
C | 1.5 | 14.7 | 9.8 |
D | 2 | 19.6 | 14.7 |
Graph of Information - Figure 1.
Graph of Information - Figure 2.
Using the reading, explain why objects with different masses pull downward on a spring scale with different strengths even when they are in the same location.
Using Table 1, describe the relationship between object mass and measured weight for Objects A–D.
Which statement best describes the pattern shown in Table 1?
How do Figures 1 and 2 together show that gravitational force depends on properties of the interacting objects?
Which conclusion is best supported by the data?
A student claims: “Gravitational interactions are attractive, and objects with more mass experience a stronger gravitational pull from Earth.” Do you agree or disagree? Use evidence from the investigation to support your answer.
Claim:
Evidence:
Reasoning: