Gravity is one of Earth’s most important forces. It is what holds objects on the ground and keeps them from floating into space; it is the force that causes objects to fall. Gravity is a pulling force between one object and another. It pulls a falling baseball toward the ground and holds cyclists on their bicycle seats. Gravity also holds the earth in its orbit around the sun.
Visit the link below to read some fun facts about gravity. Hover over the words in blue print with your mouse to see its definition! Feel free to click on the links provided on that site to learn more about weight or microgravity from NASA.
Visit the link below to read some fun facts about gravity. Hover over the words in blue print with your mouse to see its definition! Feel free to click on the links provided on that site to learn more about weight or microgravity from NASA.
All objects with mass have gravity. Mass is defined as the amount of matter in an object. The more massive an object is, the stronger its gravitational pull. The closer you are to an object, the stronger its gravitational pull. Gravity is what gives you weight. It is the force that pulls all of the mass in your body, keeping you on the ground.
The following clip is a video explanation of gravity. It also goes on to explain inertia, which is the tendency of a body to resist a change in motion or rest. For example, when a vehicle stops, you tend to jerk forward before coming to a complete stop. In the same way, you will jerk backwards when the vehicle begins to move. This will be further explained in upcoming lessons.
(Note: While the video does talk about the mathematical formulas associated with force and gravity, you are not responsible for knowing these.)
The following clip is a video explanation of gravity. It also goes on to explain inertia, which is the tendency of a body to resist a change in motion or rest. For example, when a vehicle stops, you tend to jerk forward before coming to a complete stop. In the same way, you will jerk backwards when the vehicle begins to move. This will be further explained in upcoming lessons.
(Note: While the video does talk about the mathematical formulas associated with force and gravity, you are not responsible for knowing these.)
See gravity in action for yourself! Click the link below to play the “Forces in Action” game. Here you will see how far a truck placed on an inclined slope or gradient will travel on the track. How do you think increasing the incline will affect the truck’s travel distance? What force is causing the truck to travel faster/slower? Try it out! When you are finished, click the “quiz” icon to test your knowledge of force and motion. |
- If you answered 7 or more questions correctly, you are on the right track toward understanding all there is to know about force and motion. You should proceed to Lesson Four!
- If you answered less than 7 questions correctly, you may need to review a bit. Reread pages C10 to C14 in our science textbook and revisit the links/videos on this page. Then proceed to Lesson Four!