Introduction
Why do we not float off the Earth? Why does a satellite orbit the Earth? Why does the Earth orbit the Sun? Why does our galaxy revolve around a black hole? Gravity is the invisible, non-contact force that holds the universe together. In this webquest, you will explore how mass and distance affect gravitational pull. You will look at planets, stars, and galaxies to build an argument to explain why gravity acts the way it does.
8.PS3.4: Construct and argument using evidence to support the claim that gravitational interactions in a large-scale system are attractive and depend on the masses of and distance between interacting objects.
Task
Create a one page digital infographic using google slides or google docs that explains the following:
- Why gravitational interactions are attractive. Can they be anything else?
- How mass and distance affect the strength of gravitational pull.
You must use real-world examples to support your explanation.
You will use the provided online resources to gather evidence and create you infographic to display your understanding.
Process
- Watch the following video that explains gravitational interactions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atogJ2qw9Ko - Use the following websites to gather evidence about how mass and distance impact gravity: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/telangana-class-8-science/x17f7017799a605d2:force/x17f7017799a605d2:non-contact-forces/a/gravitational-forces? https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/what-is-gravity/en/
- Explore the following simulation to manipulate varying factors and observe their effect on gravity: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/gravity-force-lab
- Plan your infographic on a google slides of google doc. Include a title, 2+ images, and a written explanation of why gravity is attractive and how mass and distance affect gravitational force using real-world examples.
- Create your infographic.
- Submit your assignment through google classroom.
Learning Advice: Look for pertinent information (mass, distance, attractive), use bullet points/summaries to help organize the information, don't copy and paste.
Evaluation
| Criteria | 4 (excellent) | 3 (good) | 2 (needs work) | 1 (incomplete) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accuracy |
All explanations are accurate relate to the assignment content. |
Mostly accurate, minor errors. | Several errors. | Mostly incorrect. |
| Evidence | At least 2 examples. | 1 example. | Limited evidence. | No evidence. |
| Design | Clear, easy to follow. | Mostly clear. | Not organized. | Hard to follow. |
| Completion | All required parts complete. | Missing 1 part. | Missing multiple parts. | Little progress. |
| Citations | All sources cited properly. | Most cited properly. | Few citations. | No citations. |
Conclusion
By now, you should understand that gravity is an attractive force that exists between all objects of mass. As distance increases, gravitational force decreases (an inversely proportional relationship) and as mass increases, gravitational force increases (a proportional relationship).
Credits
NASA - Space Place
University of Colorado PhET Project
Khan Academy
Wesley Scott, 8th Grade Science
Teacher Page
Standard: TN 8.PS2.3
Time: One class period (45 min)
Materials: Chromebooks, google docs/slides