What Factors Affect Gravity?

Calculate what the weight of a bowling ball would be on some of the rocky planets in our solar system. Multiply the bowling ball’s mass by the acceleration due to gravity on each planet, and write the solution in the last column of the table below. The first row has been done for you as an example.

• 62.3

• 45.7

• 78.2

• 53.1

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Calculate what the weight of a bowling ball would be on some of the rocky planets in our solar system. Multiply the bowling ball’s mass by the acceleration due to gravity on each planet, and write the solution in the last column of the table below. The first row has been done for you as an example.

• 68.6

• 45.2

• 82.3

• 59.7

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As the masses of the different planets increase, what happens to the bowling ball’s weight?

• The bowling ball’s weight increases.

• The bowling ball’s weight decreases.

• The bowling ball’s weight stays the same.

• The bowling ball’s weight disappears.

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The bowling ball experiences the greatest force of gravity on which of the following planets?

• Earth

• Mars

• Venus

• Mercury

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What is the relationship between the mass of each planet and the force of gravity?

• As the mass of the planet increases, the force of gravity also increases.

• As the mass of the planet increases, the force of gravity decreases.

• The force of gravity is not affected by the mass of the planet.

• As the mass of the planet decreases, the force of gravity increases.

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Circle the name of the planetary object that exerts a greater force of gravity on Earth.

• Moon

• Jupiter

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The relationship between the mass of each planetary object and the force of gravity shows that the force is not only dependent on mass but also on the distance between the objects. Which statement best explains why Jupiter, despite having much more mass than the Moon, exerts less force of gravity on Earth?

• Jupiter is much farther from Earth, so the force of gravity is less despite its greater mass.

• The Moon has more mass than Jupiter, so its gravity is stronger.

• Jupiter is closer to Earth than the Moon, so its gravity is weaker.

• The force of gravity depends only on mass, not distance.

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As the distance from Earth increases, what happens to the force of gravity?

• The force of gravity decreases.

• The force of gravity increases.

• The force of gravity remains constant.

• The force of gravity disappears completely.

Based on your observations from both tables, name two factors that affect the force of gravity.

• Mass and distance.

• Temperature and pressure.

• Volume and density.

• Speed and acceleration.

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Show what you know about Isaac Newton’s First Law of Motion! Match each vocabulary term to its definition by writing the correct letter on the line. 1. _______ Force

• h. any push or pull on an object

• a. a resistance to motion that occurs when surfaces are in contact with each other

• c. when all the forces acting on an object create a net force of zero, and the object does not move

• b. an attractive force that all objects exert on each other

• d. the tendency of an object to continue its current motion or lack of motion