Define and describe gravitational force and explain the gravitational relationship between Earth and objects on Earth.
Explain the relationship between gravitational attraction and mass.
Plan an investigation to provide evidence that the effect of gravity (falling objects) on earthly objects is the same regardless of the mass of those objects.
Analyze data from an investigation to provide evidence that the effect of gravity (falling objects) on earthly objects is the same regardless of the mass of those objects.
Explain the relationship between air resistance and gravity on a falling object.
Gravitational force is the force of attraction between two objects with mass. It is the force that pulls objects towards each other and is responsible for keeping planets in orbit around the sun and objects on Earth grounded. On Earth, all objects are subject to the gravitational force exerted by the planet, causing them to fall towards the center of the Earth.
The gravitational relationship between Earth and objects on Earth is described by Newton's law of universal gravitation, which states that the force of gravity between two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. This means that the larger an object's mass, the greater the gravitational force it experiences towards the Earth.
There is a direct relationship between gravitational attraction and mass, as objects with greater mass will have a greater gravitational pull. This is why objects with more mass, such as large rocks, fall to the ground faster than lighter objects, such as feathers.
To investigate and provide evidence that the effect of gravity on objects is the same regardless of their mass, one can conduct an experiment in which objects of different masses are dropped from the same height and the time it takes for them to fall to the ground is measured. By analyzing the data collected, one can determine if there is a correlation between the mass of the objects and the time it takes for them to fall.
Air resistance is the force that opposes the motion of an object through the air. When a falling object encounters air resistance, it slows down due to the friction between the object and the air molecules. The relationship between air resistance and gravity on a falling object is that air resistance can hinder the acceleration of the object under the force of gravity, causing it to fall more slowly than it would in a vacuum. Objects with a larger surface area or less aerodynamic shape will experience more air resistance and fall more slowly than objects with less surface area or a more streamlined shape.