Gravitational Forces

Gravity Part 2

Effects of Mass & Distance on Gravitational Force

• The more massive an object, the greater it's gravitational pull

• The closer the distance between objects, the greater the gravitational pull
  

• The gravitational pull between the Sun and each planet or between Earth and it's moon causes distinct motions between and among the objects

Multiple Select

If the mass of an object increases, what happens to the gravitational pull?

• Increases

• Decreases

Multiple Select

The closer that two objects come together, what happens to the gravitational pull?

• Decreases

• Increases

Effects of Gravity on Planetary Orbits

• The Sun's gravitational attraction along with a planet's inertia (continued forward motion), keeps the planets moving in an elliptical orbit (slightly oval) & determines how fast they move.

Effects of Gravity on Planetary Orbits

• Planets nearer to the Sun move/orbit faster due to the higher gravitational pull from the Sun.

• Planets farther from the Sun move/orbit slower due to the gravitational pull becoming less the farther from the Sun a planet is located.

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars

4 planets closest to the Sun that orbit faster because of higher gravitational pull between them and the Sun

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune

Even though these 4 planets are more massive, the large distance that they are from the Sun reduces the gravitational pull the Sun has on them.

Multiple Choice

Inertia is:

• Forward motion

• Reverse motion

• Sideways motion

Multiple Choice

Planets closer to the sun have:

• More gravitational pull with the Sun

• Less gravitation pull with the sun

Multiple Choice

What keeps planets in elliptical orbits?

• Gravitational attraction

• Inertia

• Both gravitational attraction & inertia

• Neither one