Gravity Spring Scale Activity

  1. Attach a mass to a spring scale. Position the weight at some distance from the earth and measure its weight (the force of gravity).
  2. Move the mass so that the distance from the earth is twice as large and measure its weight again.
  3. How did the force of gravity change when you moved the mass twice as far away?
  4. The law of universal gravitation states that the force of gravity is inversely proportional to the distance between the objects squared. Does this match what you have seen? Is the law of universal gravitation wrong?
  5. Think about how you measured the distance. Is this something you should adjust?

Gravity Spring Scale Activity

  1. Attach a mass to a spring scale. Position the weight at some distance from the earth and measure its weight (the force of gravity).
  2. Move the mass so that the distance from the earth is twice as large and measure its weight again.
  3. How did the force of gravity change when you moved the mass twice as far away?
  4. The law of universal gravitation states that the force of gravity is inversely proportional to the distance between the objects squared. Does this match what you have seen? Is the law of universal gravitation wrong?
  5. Think about how you measured the distance. Is this something you should adjust?

Gravity Spring Scale Activity

  1. Attach a mass to a spring scale. Position the weight at some distance from the earth and measure its weight (the force of gravity).
  2. Move the mass so that the distance from the earth is twice as large and measure its weight again.
  3. How did the force of gravity change when you moved the mass twice as far away?
  4. The law of universal gravitation states that the force of gravity is inversely proportional to the distance between the objects squared. Does this match what you have seen? Is the law of universal gravitation wrong?
  5. Think about how you measured the distance. Is this something you should adjust?