Year 5 Science: Gravity pulls things down
Part of the Year 5 Science gravity, friction and resistance chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Gravity pulls things down
Gravity is a force that pulls objects towards the Earth. It acts between the Earth and every object on it, even when the two objects are not touching.
An object that is not held up, or unsupported, falls towards the Earth because of gravity. This is why things fall when you drop them.
Gravity pulls downwards, towards the centre of the Earth. It is a force that acts at a distance, so it does not need contact.
Key ideas
- Gravity is a force that pulls objects towards the Earth.
- An unsupported object falls towards the Earth because of gravity.
- Gravity acts downwards, and it acts at a distance.
- A supported object, such as a book on a table, does not fall, because the table pushes it up.
Method. Think about what pulls the pencil down.
- Think about the pencil. The pencil falls because it is unsupported.unsupported
- Name the force. The force that pulls it down is gravity.gravity
- Write the answer. gravity
Check. Gravity acts between the Earth and the pencil. ✓
Method. Think about where the Earth is.
- Think about the Earth. The Earth is below the ball, at the centre of the Earth.below
- Choose the word. So gravity pulls the ball down.down
- Write the answer. down
Check. Gravity pulls towards the centre of the Earth. ✓
Method. Think about what supports the book.
- Think about the table. The table pushes the book up, so the book is supported.supported
- Decide. A supported object does not fall, so the answer is no.no
- Write the answer. no
Check. The table is holding the book up. ✓
Watch out
Watch out: gravity pulls an object towards the Earth even when it is not touching the Earth. It acts at a distance.
Try it (with your teacher or a grown-up). Hold a pencil, a small ball and a sheet of paper, one at a time, at the same height above a soft rug. Let each one go, with your teacher watching. Which ones fall? Which force pulled them down?
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask: “Which force pulled the object down? What would happen if you held it up?” Keep the drop low and on a soft surface.
Exercise 9A Gravity pulls things down
Method. Read section 9.1.
- Read the definition. Gravity is a force that pulls objects towards the Earth.pulls objects
- Name it. The word is gravity.gravity
- Write the answer. gravity
Check. Gravity acts on every object on the Earth. ✓
Method. Read the key ideas in section 9.1.
- Read the key idea. An unsupported object falls towards the Earth because of gravity.because of gravity
- Name it. So the word is gravity.gravity
- Write the answer. gravity
Check. Gravity is the reason the object falls. ✓
Method. Read the key ideas in section 9.1.
- Read the key idea. Gravity acts downwards, towards the centre of the Earth.downwards
- Choose the word. So the direction is down.down
- Write the answer. down
Check. Gravity always pulls towards the Earth. ✓
Method. Read the key ideas in section 9.1.
- Read the key idea. A supported object, such as a book on a table, does not fall.does not fall
- Decide. So the answer is no.no
- Write the answer. no
Check. The table pushes the book up. ✓
Method. Read the key ideas in section 9.1.
- Read the key idea. Gravity acts at a distance, so it does not need contact.at a distance
- Fill the gap. So the missing word is distance.distance
- Write the answer. distance
Check. Gravity does not need the objects to touch. ✓
Method. Read the arrows in the picture.
- Read the arrow. The orange arrow points down, from the falling ball.points down
- Choose the word. So the arrow points down.down
- Write the answer. down
Check. Gravity pulls the ball towards the Earth. ✓
Method. Count the orange arrows.
- Count the arrows. There is a gravity arrow under the held ball and under the falling ball.two arrows
- Write the number. So two balls have a gravity arrow.2
- Write the answer. 2
Check. Gravity acts on both balls. ✓
Method. Read section 9.1.
- Read the description. Gravity pulls every object towards the Earth.every object
- Decide. So Priya is not right.no
- Write the answer. no
Check. Gravity acts on light objects too. ✓
Method. Think about gravity.
- Think about gravity. Gravity pulls the unsupported pencil towards the Earth.pulls
- Make the prediction. So the pencil will fall.falls
- Write the answer. falls
Check. Test it with your teacher, over a soft surface. ✓
Method. Think about support and gravity.
- Think about the ball. Once you let go, nothing supports the ball.nothing supports
- Write the reason. So gravity pulls it down towards the Earth.pulls it down
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence that says the ball is unsupported, so gravity pulls it down towards the Earth.
Check. Gravity acts between the Earth and the ball. ✓
Method. Think about the forces on the book.
- Think about gravity. Gravity pulls the book down.pulls the book down
- Write the reason. The table pushes the book up, so it does not fall.pushes the book up
- Write the answer. Accept any sentence that says the table pushes the book up, which balances gravity, so the book stays still.
Check. A supported object is held up by a push from below. ✓