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Gravity Well Science Activity

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Gravity Well Science Activity

Gravity is a force that pulls objects towards one another. In this activity, use a fabric model to explore how a moving object can travel around a heavier object. Work with an adult to set up the model, keep the fabric low and secure, and roll balls gently. The model is useful, but it does not show gravity exactly: real planets move through space, not across fabric.

Set up your gravity well

You will need stretchy fabric secured tightly across a hoop, one heavier ball, and one or two smaller balls. Place the heavier ball near the centre. Notice the dip in the fabric. Gently roll a small ball across the fabric, aiming to travel around the heavier ball. Try a different starting direction or speed. Record what you observe in the questions.

1.Before you roll anything, predict what the small ball might do as it travels across the dipped fabric. Give one reason for your prediction.
2.Roll the small ball gently. Describe the path it takes. Does it travel in a straight line, curve around the heavy ball, or move in another way?
3.Try rolling the small ball from a different direction or at a different speed. What changed about its path? Record one comparison with your first try.
4.In this model, what does the heavy ball represent?
  • A massive object such as the Sun or Earth
  • A small object with no gravity
  • The fabric holding the model together
  • The path of the small ball
5.The small ball in the model is most like which object in space?
  • A planet or moon moving near a more massive object
  • A star that never moves
  • The fabric of space itself
  • A force that pushes objects away
6.Why might the small ball spiral towards the heavy ball instead of circling it forever on the fabric?
7.True or false: The fabric model proves that planets move through a dip in a stretchy sheet of space.
TrueFalse
8.A moon travels around Earth, and Earth travels around the Sun. Use the words gravity, moving, and orbit to explain how these ideas connect.
9.Plan an investigation: what could you change in the model to test how the small ball's path is affected? State what you would change and one thing you would keep the same for a fair test.

2 printable pages

  • Gravity Well Science Activity, page 1 of 2: Set up your gravity well

    Page 1

  • Gravity Well Science Activity, page 2 of 2: 5. The small ball in the model is most like which object in space?

    Page 2

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