Continue with Microsoft TeamsThe Force of Gravity
Vocabulary
Read the vocabulary terms to understand the reading better.
Direction
A direction is a path along which something moves, lies or points.
Force
A force is the push or pull on an object that makes it move.
Gravity
Gravity is the force that makes things fall and pulls things to the ground.
Speed
Speed is how fast something is moving.
Gravity is the force that makes things fall. Gravity is a force that pulls things to the ground. Gravity stops objects from floating up. Gravity holds things down.
Remember four things that forces can do:
- Make an object start moving
- Make an object stop moving
- Change the speed of an object
- Change the direction of a moving object
The force of gravity can do the same things.
Gravity Makes an Object Start Moving
If you let go of a ball, the ball drops to the ground. You do not need to push the ball to make the ball fall. Gravity makes the ball start moving.
Gravity Makes an Object Stop Moving
If you toss a ball up, the ball will soon start to fall. Before the ball starts to fall, the ball will stop in the air. The ball stops for a very short time. You do not see the ball stop. The force of gravity makes the ball stop going up.
Gravity Changes the Speed of a Moving Object
When an object falls, the object moves faster and faster as it gets closer to the ground. Gravity makes things move faster as they get closer to Earth.
Gravity Changes the Direction of a Moving Object
If you throw a ball to a friend far away, the ball starts to fall. The direction of the ball changes. The ball starts to fall down. Gravity changes the direction of the ball.
To learn more about the force of gravity, watch the video by Crash Course Kids on YouTube.
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