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Weight and The Force of Gravity Lab
Weight and The Force of Gravity Lab
Engage: In your lab groups, answer the following question: How are different objects (car, person, feather, etc) affected by
gravity?
Materials:
Ring stand with ring Electronic Balance Pencil
6 items with mass < 400 g Spring Scale Paper Plate/Baggie
Procedure:
1. Choose 6 objects in the classroom and describe them in the table below. Be sure to choose objects with masses less
than 400 g (less than a metal stapler).
2. Set up a spring scale suspension system with the ring stand. Suspend the spring scale off the ring stand.
3. Hang each item from the spring scale and record the force of gravity in Newtons. (Use string to tie items to the spring
scale, if necessary.)
4. Place each object on the electronic balance and record the mass in grams in the table. (If you needed to attach string
to the object in step 3, you should include the string on the balance as well.)
5. Convert each mass into kilograms and record new values in the table. (1 kg = 1000 g)
6. Use Google Sheets to graph the Force of Gravity (N) vs. Mass (kg) of all your objects. Be sure to add a line of best fit
to your data.
Evaluation of Data:
1. Explain, using specific data, what your graph tells you.
2. State the relationship between the variables identified in the purpose in a clear, concise English sentence. (Not the same as
the graphical relationship)
3. Discuss the meaning of the slope in your graph.
4. Using your graph, determine the force of gravity on an object that is 0.25 kilograms.
5. Look back at your graph. Some of your data points likely lie above/below the “best fit” line. When your results differ
from what is expected, what are some plausible explanations?
Application:
1. What force acts on the object you attached to the spring scale?
2. In terms of forces, explain why the spring scale stretched as objects with more mass were added.
3. Imagine you weighed your shoe with two spring scales side by side. What do you think they would each measure? How
would the measurement with two scales compare to a measurement with only one scale?
4. What is the relationship between mass and weight? How are they the same AND how are they different?
Extension:
a. How would this scale work similarly/differently if it was found on a less massive planet like Mercury and a more
massive planet like Jupiter? Be specific in your answer.
b. How would your graph look different for a less massive planet like Mercury and for a more massive planet like
Jupiter?
c. A Free Body Diagram (FBD) is a cartoon depiction of an object used to analyze the forces acting on the object. On a
separate sheet of paper, draw one of the objects you measured today and indicate the forces acting on that objects
when it was hanging from the scale. Represent the forces as arrows, with the length of the arrow corresponding to the
magnitude of the force and the direction of the arrow indicating the direction that the force acts. Use specific data
from your activity. Take the bottom of the page to be the direction downward toward the floor. Think carefully about
the length of the arrows relative to each other.