Gravity and the Solar System

The solar system consists of the sun and a collection of objects, including planets, their moons, and asteroids that are held in orbit around the sun by its gravitational pull on them.

Heavier objects (really, more massive ones) produce a bigger gravitational pull than lighter ones, so as the heavyweight in our solar system, the Sun exerts the strongest gravitational pull. The Sun's gravity pulls on the planets, just as Earth's gravity pulls down anything that is not held up by some other force and keeps you and me on the ground.

• I don't get it.

• GOT IT!

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What is the biggest OBJECT in our solar system?

• Jupiter

• Asteroid Belt

• Sun

• Neptune

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You would weigh the least on _______________ because they are the smallest (least massive) planets and they have the smallest ) gravitational pull.

• Mercury and Mars

• Venus and Jupiter

• Earth and Uranus

• Saturn and Pluto

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

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A person on Mars' surface would experience a(n) _______ gravitational force compared to on Earth.

• weaker, because Mars is further from the Sun.

• weaker, because Mars has less mass than the Earth.

• equal, because both planets orbit the Sun.

• stronger, because Mars' surface is closer to its core.

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NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

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Objects (or planets) with MORE mass have __________ gravitational pull.

• MORE

• LESS

• EQUAL

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Objects (or planets) with LESS mass have __________ gravitational pull.

• MORE

• LESS

• EQUAL

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As the distance between objects decreases, gravity __________. This means the the closer you are to Earth, the more gravity is pulling on you.

• increases

• decreases

• stays the same

As the distance between objects increases, gravity __________. This means the the farther you are from Earth, the less gravity is pulling on you.

• increases

• decreases

• stays the same

You would weigh the most on _______________ because it is the biggest (most massive) planet and it has the greatest gravitational pull.

• Mars

• Jupiter

• Uranus

• Pluto

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

What is the biggest PLANET in our solar system?

• Jupiter

• Earth

• Uranus

• Neptune

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3