PHYSICAL SCIENCE

FIELDS

NAME:_______________________#_____

Introduction: Click on this link to read the introduction and the fictional scenario on G-44.
Then define the key terms.

Key Terms:
Force - any push or pull
Gravity - Gravity is a natural phenomenon that causes any two
objects to be pulled together. Isaac Newtons inquiry into the effects of
gravity led him to determine the universal law of gravitation, which
relates the force of gravity to distance and mass.
Mass - Mass is the measurement of the amount of matter or stuff that makes up an object.
CHALLENGE: What determines the amount of gravitational force between objects?

PROCEDURE:
1. Table 1 shows the gravitational force
between Saturn and some particles in Saturns
rings. All of the particles are the same distance,
180,000 km, from Saturns center. Use the data in
below to make a graph (with Google Sheets in
this document) of the relationship between mass
and gravitational force. HINT: Put the data for
mass on the horizontal axis and the data for
gravitational force on the vertical axis.
Graphing Procedures:
1. With your cursor in the
space below, click Insert, Chart, Line
2. Click anywhere on the
generic graph created, and then click on
the square with the arrow in it in the top right corner. This will take you to Google
Sheets.
3. In Sheets, Click on column C and delete that column
4. In box A1 type Mass of Ring Particle in Kg in box B1 type
Gravitational Force between Saturn and ring particle in 10,000N
5. Enter the data for columns A & B from the table above. You should see
your line graph being creted as you do this.

6. Double click on your graph and choose Axis. Type Mass of Ring
Particle in Kg in for your horizontal axis title, and Gravitational Force between Saturn
and ring particle in 10,000N for the vertical axis title.

7. Title your graph Mass and Gravitational Force Data by clicking on the
title box.
8. When finished exit out of the Sheets tab. Back here in your Doc click
the UPDATE button in the top right corner of your graph and Ta Dah! You should have
the correct graph!
FOLLOW these directions and INSERT YOUR GRAPH HERE:
1.

2. Look at your graphed data. Record any relationships that you notice in the space below.

3. Look at Table 2 which shows the

gravitational force between Saturn and some ring
particles that are at different distances from the
planet. All of the particles have a mass of 1 kg.
Use the data to make a graph below of the
relationship between distance and gravitational
force following the above procedures. Title your
graph Distance and Gravitational Force. HINT:
Put the data for distance on the horizontal axis and
the data for force on the vertical axis.

INSERT YOUR GRAPH HERE:

4. Look at your graphed data. Record the relationships that you observe in the space below.

it makes a curved line

ANALYSIS:
1. \Compare your two graphs. Identify and explain any:
a. similarities
they both have gravitational force
b. differences
one is straight and one is curved
2. Look at the pictures of the two planets below. Their diameters are the
same, but Planet B has twice the mass of Planet A. Which one would you expect
to have a stronger pull of gravity on its surface? __b___ Explain why. the more
the mass the higher the gravitational pull

3. Look at the picture below of astronauts at different distances from a

planet. In which position, A or B, would there be a stronger gravitational pull
between the astronaut and the planet? _b__ Explain. the closer you are the
more force

4. Your friend tells you that if you double the distance of spacecraft from a
planet, the gravitational pull is half as strong. Do you think this is correct?
___yes____. Cite evidence from this investigation to support your position. the
graph has more force tords the planet which means this would be correct when
the distance was 100 it was at 38 and when t increased to 120 the force lowered
to 26