Professional Documents
Culture Documents
attraction
1) What keeps the Earth moving in a circle round the Sun?
2) Why is the force of gravitational attraction between two objects in front of you too
small to notice?
3) Why would it be easier to launch a space probe from the Moon than from the
Earth?
4) A space probe is midway between the Earth and the Moon. Which is bigger, the
force of gravity on it due to the Earth or the force of gravity due to the Moon ? Explain.
Summary Qs (5a – 5c)
5) Complete the sentences below using words in Bold.
Decreases Increases Stays the same
a) When a comet approaches the Sun, the force of gravity on it .................
b) When a satellite orbits the Earth at constant height, the size of the force of
gravity .....................................................................
c) When a rocket leaves the Earth, the force of gravity on it ...............................
6)
a) Explain why an astronaut can walk more easily on the Moon than on the Earth
b) Explain why you can throw an object higher on the Moon than on the Earth.
Gravitational attraction
1) What keeps the Earth moving in a circle round the Sun? Gravity
2) Why is the force of gravitational attraction between two objects in front of you too
small to notice?
Other frictional forces are too large for the attractive force to be noticed
3) Why would it be easier to launch a space probe from the Moon than from the
Earth?
The Moon is small and so its gravitational field strength is lower, so less force is
needed for launch
4) A space probe is midway between the Earth and the Moon. Which is bigger, the
force of gravity on it due to the Earth or the force of gravity due to the Moon ? Explain.
The Earth is larger than the Moon so the pull will be greatest towards the Earth
Summary Qs (5a – 5c)
5) Complete the sentences below using words in Bold.
Decreases Increases Stays the same
a) When a comet approaches the Sun, the force of gravity on it Increases.
b) When a satellite orbits the Earth at constant height, the size of the force of gravity
Stays the same
c) When a rocket leaves the Earth, the force of gravity on it Decreases
6)
a) Explain why an astronaut can walk more easily on the Moon than on the Earth
The gravitational field strength is lower, therefore the astronaut’s weight is less,
allowing them to walk more easily.
b) Explain why you can throw an object higher on the Moon than on the Earth.
The gravitational field strength is lower. Therefore it will take longer for the ball
to slow down until it stops moving, which means it travels higher.
gravity
bigger
gravitational
faster
200
26
12 600
gravity 11 550
Air resistance would slow it down
and then it would fall to the ground
Jupiter
To stay in orbit they would have to travel faster