Gravity

Do you know what gravity is? Firstly gravity is so very important to the universe and how the universe works. It’s also very important to our planet, and how it works, and how humans function. Actually it’s just really important period! And here’s why.

 

Without gravity, our universe wouldn’t function the way we know it to, and neither would Earth. If gravity didn’t exist you would literally fall off the planet and float away into space, along with everything else. So gravity is a force of nature that is there, and is key to our planet and the universe.

 

Like Dark Matter, and Dark Energy, we cannot see gravity so how do we know that it’s there? Well first of all, we can thank the well-known historical physicist Sir Isaac Newton for discovering gravity. It was this great mind who one day discovered that objects of Matter are not just on the Earth, that they are actually pulled down to the earth by a force discovered as gravity.

 

Gravity is a strong force of nature, but not so strong that it actually pulls absolutely everything down all of the time so strongly. That wouldn’t work either. However it is a force that keeps everything in check and in balance, and keeps us grounded.

 

 

Like when Newton and that famous story as to how he discovered gravity – the Apple fell from the tree, however the Apple grew and was connected to the tree, and came off naturally, hitting the ground. So what that means is that objects of matter are pulled to the ground with mid force once they have become free. 

So you can climb the tree and gravity will not pull you and the tree down to Earth, but if you come away from the tree and fall, you are gown down!!

 

So while gravity keeps us grounded on earth, it does something different with the planets, stars, galaxies and the whole universe. Gravity brings and binds everything together, all the way through the cosmos.

 

Think of gravity as like the glue that sticks to the Earth and the universe, and helps everything work. Gravity is so special, we cannot do without it. If gravity didn’t exist it would be a very strange universe! 

 

Kids Fun Facts Corner

# 1. Gravity as a force compared to other forces in the universe is quite weak.

# 2. The tides in the oceans are governed by the gravitational forces of the Earth and its moon.     

# 3. You would weigh differently on each planet than you would on Earth due to the different gravitational pull of each planet.

 

Q&A Corner                                       

Q. What does gravity do in the universe?

Q. What would happen on Earth to humans if gravity didn’t exist?

Q. Who is credited with discovering gravity?

Q. What was the food that fell to the ground discovering gravity?

Download questions about gravity here: gravity (answers on this page)

For further reading and more info on gravity visit www.easyscienceforkids.com/gravity