Gravity



Sir Isaac Newton discovered gravity about 300 years ago. The story is that Newton saw an apple fall out of a tree.

When this happened he realised there was a force that made it occur, and he called it gravity.

Gravity

  • Gravity attracts all objects towards each other. Gravity has been around since the very beginning of the universe, and it works the same way everywhere in the universe, on all kinds of different objects, of all different sizes .
  • Gravity is very important to our everyday lives. Without Earth’s gravity we would fly right off it. We’d all have to be strapped down all the time. If you kicked a ball, it would fly off forever. While it might be fun to try for a few minutes, we certainly couldn’t live life on Earth without gravity.
  • Gravity also is important on a larger scale. It is the Sun’s gravity that keeps the Earth in orbit around the Sun. Life on Earth needs the Sun’s light and warmth to survive. Gravity helps the Earth to stay just the right distance from the Sun, so it’s not too hot or too cold. Gravity guides the growth of plants and other vegetation.
  • The Earth is a giant magnet. Its magnetic field is like a bar magnet at its centre.
  • Ocean tides are caused by the gravity of the moon.
  • We don’t actually “feel” gravity. We only feel the effects of trying to overcome it by jumping or when we fall.
  • Gravity always pulls, it never pushes.
  • Your mass stays the same if you could travel from planet to planet, but your weight would vary depending on how the gravity of that planet pulls on you. Mars is smaller and has less mass than Earth. As a result you would weigh less on Mars.

Learning resources

Example Questions

  • When was Charles Darwin born?

  • Where and when was the Enigma machine developed?

  • What was the name of the ship Charles Darwin travelled on?

  • How long was Charles Darwin’s voyage?

  • Which islands did Darwin visit?

  • What are telescopes used to do?

  • Who discovered gravity?

  • Why didn’t Charles Darwin publish his findings straight away?

  • What was the name of the famous code breaker?

Graduate Award links:

Pupils who wish to become Graduates in the available study topics can elect to study at home and in school during their own time, taking the Graduate Test when they know they are ready.

Upon graduation, they will receive a badge which they can wear on their school uniform with pride.

This will further demonstrate to their peers, parents, visitors and the wider community just how dedicated they are to their studies.