Starter quiz
- What is the name of the force that pulls objects towards the ground?
- magnetic force
- gravitational force ✓
- friction
- upthrust
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- In which direction will a ball move if you pick it up and then release it above the ground?
- The ball will not move.
- The ball will move upwards.
- The ball will move left-to-right.
- The ball will move downwards. ✓
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- Which scientist is thought to have discovered the existence of gravity after seeing an apple fall from a tree in their garden?
- Marie Curie
- Albert Einstein
- Sir Isaac Newton ✓
- Robert Hooke
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- Where would you feel the strongest gravitational force of attraction from Earth?
- On the International Space Station.
- At the top of Mount Everest.
- On the surface of the Moon.
- At sea level. ✓
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- Which planet has the strongest gravitational field?
- Venus
- Earth
- Jupiter ✓
- Mercury
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- Put these pairs of orbiting objects in order of increasing gravitational force between them, starting with the smallest.
- 1⇔A communications satellite orbiting Earth.
- 2⇔The Moon orbiting Earth.
- 3⇔Earth orbiting the Sun.
- 4⇔The Sun orbiting the centre of the Milky Way galaxy.
Exit quiz
- Which of these statements about the gravitational force from one object acting on another is correct?
- It is a non-contact force. ✓
- It causes attraction and repulsion.
- It stops acting when an object is falling.
- It does not act on objects in space.
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Why does the person shown on the southern hemisphere of Earth not fall off?- Earth's gravitational force acts towards the centre of the planet. ✓
- Earth's gravitational force on the person acts downwards.
- The Moon's gravitational force pushes the person toward Earth's surface.
- Other forces, such as magnetic forces, hold them in place.
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- Put these objects in order of increasing gravitational field strength, starting with the smallest.
- 1⇔Earth's Moon
- 2⇔Earth
- 3⇔Jupiter
- 4⇔the Sun
The photo shows an astronaut on the Moon with a flag. Why does the flag not droop towards the surface of the Moon?- The gravitational force on the Moon's surface is much less than it is on Earth. ✓
- There is no gravity on the Moon's surface to pull the flag down.
- There is a breeze on the Moon which is blowing the flag to the left.
- On the Moon, gravitational forces are repulsive, not attractive.
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- Where would you feel the strongest gravitational force of attraction from Earth?
- On the surface of Earth. ✓
- At the top of a mountain.
- At the altitude that communications satellites orbit Earth.
- At the mid-point between the Moon and Earth.
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- Which of these statements about gravitational forces is correct?
- A gravitational force acts between all object with mass. ✓
- A gravitational force can only attract metals and only repel non-metals.
- A gravitational force only exists between solid objects.
- The gravitational force of a spinning planet causes it to become flat.
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Worksheet
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Lesson Details
Key learning points
- Gravitational forces pull (attract) objects towards the centre of large objects like planets, moons and stars.
- The greater the mass of an object, the stronger its gravity.
- The gravity of a planet, moon or star extends far into space, but gets weaker with distance.
- Earth’s gravity pulls the Moon towards the centre of Earth, changing the Moon's direction, making it orbit around Earth.
- The Sun's gravity pulls Earth towards the centre of the Sun, changing Earth's direction, making it orbit around the Sun.
Common misconception
There is no gravity in space, even a short distance from the Earth.
Carefully whirl a rubber bung around your head on a length of string to show how force of a string keeps it orbiting in a circle, just as the force of gravity keeps the Moon orbiting the Earth and the planets orbiting the Sun.
Keywords
Gravitational force - Gravitational forces pull objects towards large objects like planets, moons and stars.
Attraction - An attraction is a force that acts to pull one object towards another.
Orbit - An orbit is the movement of one object in a loop around another object.
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