Gravity Pulls Down
Aligned to 5-PS2-1 — Next Generation Science Standards.
What this lesson teaches
Earth's gravity is a force that pulls every object straight toward the center of the planet. That's why 'down' always means toward the ground, no matter where you are standing on Earth.
Worked examples
Example 1
Drop a ball and it falls straight to the floor, never sideways or up. Earth is pulling it down toward the planet's center, the same direction things fall everywhere on Earth.
Example 2
People in Australia are not upside down and do not fall off. 'Down' means toward Earth's center, wherever you are standing.
Example 3
Gravity is why a dropped hammer and a dropped feather both head for the floor — the feather just loses to air resistance on the way.
Practice questions
- Drop three different objects and observe which direction each one falls.
- Draw arrows showing which way gravity pulls a person standing in the U.S. and a person on the opposite side of the globe.
- Use your observations to argue that Earth's pull is always directed downward toward its center.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
La Gravedad Jala Hacia Abajo
La gravedad de la Tierra es una fuerza que jala cada objeto directo hacia el centro del planeta. Por eso 'abajo' siempre significa hacia el suelo, sin importar en qué parte de la Tierra estés parado.
Ejemplo 1: Suelta una pelota y cae directo al piso, nunca de lado ni hacia arriba. La Tierra la jala hacia abajo, hacia el centro del planeta, la misma dirección en que caen las cosas en toda la Tierra.
Ejemplo 2: La gente en Australia no está de cabeza ni se cae. 'Abajo' significa hacia el centro de la Tierra, estés donde estés.
Ejemplo 3: La gravedad es por lo que un martillo y una pluma que sueltas van los dos hacia el piso — la pluma solo pierde contra la resistencia del aire en el camino.
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