What Is Gravity?
Are you looking for an easy way to teach your child about gravity? We’ve put together a set of free materials that parents and teachers can use right away. In this lesson, your child will dive into the fascinating world of gravitational forces.
We’ll explore how the Earth pulls all objects straight down toward its surface. Explore science in a more engaging way with captivating 3D videos and interactive quizzes. Download our app to get started!
Table of Contents
What You Will Learn From This Lesson
- Gravity pulls all objects on Earth straight downward.
- Massive objects create a stronger gravitational pull.
What is gravity?
In the study of physics, gravity is a fundamental force of attraction that exists between any two objects. On our planet, we specifically refer to the gravitational force that the Earth exerts on everything as gravity.
This force is responsible for pulling everything downwards toward the Earth’s surface, regardless of whether an object is moving or staying still.
The presence of gravity is constant in our daily lives, even if we do not always feel it. When a person jumps into the air, they always return to the ground because gravity is at work pulling them back down.
This invisible interaction ensures that the Earth is able to hold on to everything on its surface, including people, buildings, and the atmosphere.
The relationship between mass and gravitational force
The strength of a gravitational pull is directly related to the mass of the objects involved. Scientific principles state that the greater the mass of an object, the greater its gravitational force will be.
Because the Earth has a very large mass, it possesses a very strong gravitational pull that affects every object within its reach.
Weight is a practical way to observe the pull of gravity in action. When we try to lift a heavy box, the weight we feel is actually the measurement of the Earth’s gravitational pull on that object.
Fun Fact
- Everything on Earth is constantly being pulled straight down by the planet’s mass.
- The weight of a heavy box is actually the measurement of gravity pulling on it.
- Earth’s massive size is what gives it such a powerful and steady gravitational pull.
- An Hourglass is a clever timer that looks like the number 8 and has been helping people tell time for over 1,000 years.
- Gravity is the engine that makes the hourglass work; it pulls every tiny grain of sand through a skinny neck at the exact same speed.
Vocabulary
- Gravity: A fundamental force of attraction that exists between any two objects; on our planet, it specifically refers to the force the Earth exerts to pull everything straight downward toward its surface.
- Mass: The amount of matter in an object; the strength of a gravitational pull is directly related to this, meaning the greater the mass, the stronger the force.
- Gravitational Force: The invisible interaction that allows a massive body, like the Earth, to hold onto everything on its surface, including people, buildings, and the atmosphere.
- Weight: A practical measurement of the Earth’s gravitational pull on an object; it is the force we feel when attempting to lift something heavy.
- Hourglass: A traditional timer shaped like the number 8 that uses gravity as its “engine” to pull grains of sand through a narrow neck at a constant speed.
- Fundamental Force: A basic force in the study of physics that is constant in our daily lives and responsible for the basic mechanics of how the world works.
- Downward Pull: The specific direction of gravity on Earth, which ensures that objects always return to the ground regardless of whether they are moving or staying still.