Gravity and Orbits

Front

What is gravity?

Back

Gravity is a force that attracts two objects towards each other, depending on their masses and the distance between them.

Front

What happens to your weight if Earth's mass is cut in half?

Back

Your weight would decrease because the gravitational force decreases.

Front

What two factors affect the force of gravity between two objects?

Back

Mass and distance.

Front

Why does Earth's surface bulge at the equator?

Back

Earth's rotation creates centrifugal force, causing the bulge.

Front

What do all planets have in common?

Back

They orbit the sun, are massive enough that their gravity controls all objects in the area, and are spherical.

Front

What is the relationship between mass and gravity?

Back

The greater the mass of an object, the stronger its gravitational pull.

Front

How does distance affect gravitational force?

Back

As the distance between two objects increases, the gravitational force between them decreases.

Front

What is centrifugal force?

Back

Centrifugal force is the apparent force that draws a rotating body away from the center of rotation.

Front

What is the shape of planets?

Back

Planets are generally spherical due to their gravity pulling matter into a round shape.

Front

What is an orbit?

Back

An orbit is the path one object takes around another object due to gravitational forces.