Gravity — Physics, 7–10 years
Gravity is the pull between masses; near Earth, it pulls objects towards the ground. Physics, 7–10 years.
Earth pulls objects
Gravity is an invisible pull between things that have mass. Earth is so massive that it pulls people, balls and rain towards its centre. That is why dropped objects fall down rather than floating away.
Why gravity helps explain falling
People noticed that objects always fall towards the ground, but needed an explanation that worked for apples, rain and the Moon. Gravity gives one idea for all of them. It also explains why we stay on Earth instead of drifting into space.
Dropping two balls
Hold a tennis ball and a larger rubber ball at the same height, 1 metre above the ground. Let go at the same time. Both move down because Earth pulls them; they may land almost together. Air resistance can make one arrive slightly later.
The common mix-up
A heavier object seems as if it must fall faster, because it feels harder to lift and hits with more impact. That is a sensible guess. In air, shape and air resistance matter too; in a fair drop, objects of different masses can fall together.
On Earth and in space
Gravity keeps your feet on the ground, makes rain fall and gives a thrown ball its curved path. It also keeps the Moon travelling around Earth and planets travelling around the Sun. Scientists use gravity when planning satellites and space journeys.
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