Gravity and Related Concepts

Front

The force that attracts objects toward one another, especially the force that pulls objects toward the Earth.

Back

Gravity

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

NGSS.MS-PS2-5

Front

The amount of matter in an object, which affects how much gravity it has.

Back

Mass

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Front

The force exerted by gravity on an object, calculated as mass times the acceleration due to gravity.

Back

Weight

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

Front

The rate at which an object changes its velocity; in gravity, it refers to how fast something falls.

Back

Acceleration

Front

The curved path an object takes as it moves around a planet or star due to gravitational forces.

Back

Orbit

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

Front

The minimum speed needed for an object to break free from a planet's gravitational pull.

Back

Escape Velocity

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS2-4

Front

A region in space where gravity is so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape it.

Back

Black Hole

Front

A large celestial body that orbits a star, has its own gravity, and is not a star itself.

Back

Planet

Front

An object that orbits a planet, which can be natural (like a moon) or artificial (like a spacecraft).

Back

Satellite

Front

A conceptual model used to describe the gravitational potential energy of a mass; deeper wells indicate stronger gravity.

Back

Gravity Well

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-2