"Exploring Gravity's Effects"

Name:

Date:

📚 Part 1: Multiple Choice & Matching

1. Which direction does Earth’s gravity pull objects?

Toward the center of the Earth

Toward the sky

Sideways along the ground

Toward the Moon

2. Which of these is a non-contact force (it pulls without touching)?

Gravity

Friction from rubbing

A hand pushing a ball

A wall stopping a rolling toy

3. Check all that apply: Which observations show air resistance affects how something falls?

A feather falls slowly through air

A crumpled paper falls faster than a flat sheet

A heavy rock always falls slower than a light ball in air

A parachute makes a person fall more slowly

4. Match each phenomenon (left) with the best explanation (right). Draw a line to match.

A. Girl falling off a bike

B. Boy sledding down a hill

C. Astronaut appearing to float in a spaceship

D. Moon orbiting the Earth

1. Gravity pulls objects toward Earth's center; motion follows that pull.

2. Sliding down is caused by gravity pulling objects downhill along the slope.

3. Orbiting objects are in continuous free fall around Earth; gravity still acts on them.

4. Gravity provides the centripetal pull that keeps the Moon moving around Earth.

✏️ Part 2: Short Answers & Investigation Planning

5. Explain in 1–2 sentences: Why do some objects (like a feather) fall more slowly than others (like a rock) when dropped in air?

6. Plan a quick fair test: Describe one way to investigate how air resistance affects falling objects. Include the variable you will change and what you will measure.

7. Draw and label a simple model: Show Earth, an object above the surface, and an arrow to show the direction of gravity. Label "Earth's center" and "gravity."

8. Use evidence from class activities (demo with a hanging weight or dropping objects) to write 2–3 sentences supporting the claim: "Gravity pulls objects downward toward Earth."