Gravity

PRE-LAB QUESTIONS
1. If you replace the Sun with a black hole of the same mass as the Sun, what will happen
to the Solar System planets?
a. They will be sucked into the black hole.
b. Some planets will be sucked into the black hole, but not all of them.
c. They will continue to orbit as normal.
d. None of the above

2. If you go to the Moon, with its surface gravity of 1.6 m/s2, which of the following is true?
a. Your weight will be smaller than on Earth.
b. Your mass will be smaller than on Earth.
c. Your weight will be larger than on Earth.
d. Your mass will be larger than on Earth.

3. Which of the following experiences the strongest gravitational pull from the Earth?
a. A plane flying at 30,000 feet.
b. A satellite in a low-Earth orbit.
c. A person standing at the top of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper.
d. A seagull walking the beach in California.

4. If you climb mount Everest (at ~9 km above sea-level) one day and then go visit the
bottom of the Mariana Trench (~11 km below sea-level), what will the ratio between your
high-altitude and low-altitude weight be, assuming Earth’s radius is 6,400 km?

6409
a.
6389
6389
b.
6409

( )
2
6409
c.
6389

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Gravity

( )
2
6389
d.
6409

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 Gravity

EXERCISE 1: NEWTON’S LAWS OF GRAVITATION

Data Sheet

Table 1. Water Observations

Procedure Observation

Releasing your finger from the hole

in the bottom of the cup:

Releasing your finger and dropping

the cup at the same time:

Any additional observations:

Table 2. Measurements From the 30° Inclined Plane

Ping Pong Ball Golf Ball Tennis Ball

Measurement Marble Rolling
Rolling Time Rolling Time Rolling Time
# Time (s)
(s) (s) (s)

Average:

Standard
Deviation:

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Gravity

Table 3. Measurements from the 60° Inclined Plane

Ping Pong Ball Golf Ball Tennis Ball

Measurement Marble Rolling
Rolling Time Rolling Time Rolling Time
# Time (s)
(s) (s) (s)

Average:

Standard
Deviation:

Table 4. Weight of the Balls

Measurement Ping Pong

Marble (g) Golf Ball (g) Tennis Ball (g)
# Ball (g)

Average:

Standard
Deviation:

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 Gravity

Exercise 1 Post-Lab Questions

1. Compare and contrast your average rolling times for the balls between the 30° incline
and the 60° incline.
Marble:

Ping Pong ball:

Golf ball:

Tennis ball:

2. Examine the relative sizes (diameters) of the balls and your measurements in Tables 2
and 3. Did your results demonstrate that larger objects fall faster than small objects?
Explain why or why not.

3. Fill out Table 5 with your results from Exercise 1. According to your results, is there any
correlation between the weight of the ball and how fast it rolled down the incline? Explain
your reasoning.
Table 5. Exercise 1 Results

Ping Pong
Measurement Marble Golf Ball Tennis Ball
Ball
Average Rolling
Time (30°):
Average Rolling
Time (60°):

Average Weight:

4. Were there any variables that were not accounted for in this exercise that could have
impacted your results? If yes, describe them and how they could have impacted your
results.

5. What are some possible sources of error in this exercise? How would you alter the
exercise to minimize these errors?

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