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Gravity Experiments for Kids

July 5, 2021 By Emma Vanstone Leave a Comment

These gravity experiments are all fantastic demonstrations of gravity and a great way to learn about Isaac Newton and Galileo ‘s famous discoveries. If you enjoy them, do check our my book This IS Rocket Science which is full of exciting space activities demonstrating how rockets overcome gravity and other forces to launch into space followed by a tour of the solar system with an activity for each planet.

What is Gravity?

Gravity is the force that pulls objects towards the Earth. It’s the reason we walk on the ground rather than float around.

Gravity also holds Earth and the other planets in their orbits around the Sun.

Did you know – gravity exists on the Moon but it is not as strong as on Earth, which is why astronauts can jump higher on the Moon than on Earth. This article from ScienceAlert tells you how high you could jump on each planet in the Solar System compared to Earth.

Great Gravity Experiments for Kids

Galileo and gravity.

Galileo was a famous scientist in the 16th and 17th Century. His most famous observation was that two objects of the same size but slightly different mass (how much “stuff” it is made of) hit the ground at the same time, as far as he could tell, if they are dropped from the same height. This happens because the acceleration due to gravity is the same for both objects and that actually this acceleration has nothing to do with the mass of an object. This fact has been demonstrated many times, even on the moon with a feather and a hammer.

Back on our air-filled planet, if a feather and a ball are dropped from the same height they clearly do fall at different rates. This is because gravity is not the only force acting on the falling object, air resistance is also a factor and that does depend on quite a few properties of the object and the fluid it is falling in. This does include its mass, the surface area and how fast it is moving. The feather suffers a lot here being so light and having a much greater surface area.

Galileo dropped two balls of different weights but the same size off the Leaning Tower of Pisa, giving a hint that the mass of an object doesn’t affect how fast it falls.

However if a ball and feather are dropped in a vacuum , where there is no air resistance as there’s no air, the ball and feather will fall together and hit the ground at the same time.

Bottle Drop Experiment

Following on from the ball and feather experiment another great example of Galileo’s discovery is to half fill one plastic bottle and leave another ( the same size ) empty. If dropped from the same height they will hit the ground at the same time!

Issac Newton and Gravity

According to legend Issac Newton was sitting under an apple tree when an apple fell on his head, which made him wonder why if fell to the ground.

Newton published the Theory of Universal Gravitation in the 1680s, setting out the idea that gravity was a force acting on all matter. His theory of gravity and laws of motion are some of the most important discoveries in science and have shaped modern physics.

Film Canister Rocket

A film canister rocket is a fantastic demonstration of all three of Newton’s Laws of Motion , but it falls back to the ground thanks to gravity.

Water powered bottle rockets are another great fun example of gravity and lots of other forces too!

Defy gravity with a magnet

Did you know you can defy gravity using magnets. We love this activity as you can theme it however you want. Your floating object could be a spaceship in space, a flower growing towards the sun or even a plane in the sky.

The magnet holds the paperclip in the air as if it’s floating!

Straw Rockets – Gravity Experiment

Create your own straw rockets and launch at different angles to investigate how the trajectory changes. Of course these don’t have to be rockets, they could be anything you want, so get creative!

Parachutes are another great gravity experiment and perfect for learning about air resistance too!

Marble Runs

A DIY marble run is another hands on way to demonstrate gravity. Can you build one where the ball has enough energy to move uphill?

DIY Sling Shot

Finally, a simple slingshot is a brilliant and simple STEM project and perfect for learning about gravity as a shower of pom poms fall to the ground!

Last Updated on May 25, 2022 by Emma Vanstone

Safety Notice

Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

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Top 10 Gravity Experiments: Fun & Easy

Blow your mind with these easy and amazing gravity experiments!

Do you need a creative and engaging way to introduce students to the idea of gravity? Look not more than this collection of gravity experiments that students and teachers can perform in the classroom.

We’ve assembled a variety of experiments suitable for different age groups, covering concepts such as gravitational force, mass, weight, and free-fall motion. These hands-on, enlightening activities will not only help you grasp the fundamental principles of gravity but also ignite a lifelong fascination with physics.

1. Gravity-Defying Water Experiment

Students can learn more about the concepts of surface tension and the effects of gravity on liquids while having fun and being creative by trying out the gravity-defying water experiment.

2. Finding the Center of Gravity

The finding of the center of gravity experiment is an excellent way to introduce kids to the concept of balance and gravitational laws. These experiments also provide students with practical experience in learning the significance of the center of gravity in determining an object’s stability.

3. Anti-Gravity Galaxy in a Bottle

The anti-gravity galaxy in a bottle experiment is an engaging and innovative way to introduce children to the concepts of density and liquid characteristics.

Students can create a container that appears to defy gravity and gives the appearance of a galaxy by filling it with a vibrant mixture of glitter, oil, and water.

Learn more: Anti-Gravity Galaxy in a Bottle

4. Pool Noodle Marble Run

The pool noodle marble run gravity experiment is a fun and engaging way to teach students about the properties of gravity and motion.

In this experiment, students will create a track made from pool noodles and other materials to guide a marble as it travels from the top of the track to the bottom.

Learn more: Make a Pool Noodle Marble Run for Kids

5. Gravity Water Cup Drop

The water cup drop experiment teaches students about the laws of gravity and the effects of air resistance on falling items in a simple yet entertaining way. Students will perform this experiment by dropping a cup of water from a height and watching it fall.

6. Balloon Gravity Experiments

A creative and entertaining way to teach students about the force of gravity and its effects on objects is through the balloon gravity experiment.

By trying out these experiments, students can improve their problem-solving and critical-thinking skills while also learning more about the fundamentals of science.

7. DIY Balance Scales

Making your own balancing scales is a creative and engaging approach to introduce pupils to the ideas of stability and balance. Students can improve their sense of balance and coordination by carefully arranging the objects in this activity and adjusting their position and orientation.

Learn more: DIY Balance Scales

8. How to Make a Bottle Rocket

Making a bottle rocket for a gravity experiment is a fun and educational approach to teach students about the laws of physics and how gravity affects moving things. Students will use a plastic bottle, water, and pressured air to design and build a rocket during this project.

Learn more: How to Make a Bottle Rocket

9. Parachute Egg Drop Experiment

A fun and instructive technique to teach students about the fundamentals of physics and the science of aerodynamics is to try the parachute egg drop experiment. Students will design and build a parachute for this project.

This activity is a great bonus to any scientific curriculum because it is suited to different age groups and ability levels.

Learn more: Parachute Egg Drop Experiment

10. Putting Together the Gravity 

Putting together the gravity experiment is an exciting and educational way to teach students about the fundamental principles of physics and gravity.

In this experiment, students will design and create a setup that demonstrates the effects of gravity on different objects.

Learn more: Putting Together the Gravity

Similar Posts:

• 68 Best Chemistry Experiments: Learn About Chemical Reactions
• 37 Water Science Experiments: Fun & Easy
• Top 100 Fine Motor Skills Activities for Toddlers and Preschoolers

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Rotate your device to experience this experiment

01 gravit y/.

Observations

How do celestial bodies warp the fabric of space-time and interact with each other?

ABOUT THIS EXPERIMENT

We tend think of gravity as a force of attraction, but it’s also been described as a curvature of space-time in the presence of mass. This National Science and Technology Medals Foundation interactive invites you to bend the fabric of space-time and observe the resulting gravitational forces. By adjusting the variables of mass, distance, and velocity, you can trigger orbits, collisions, and escape velocities in space.

The National Science and Technology Medals Foundation celebrates the amazing individuals who have won the highest science, technology, engineering, and mathematics award in the United States.

Jeremiah P. Ostriker

Studied the gravitational effects of dark matter.

John A. Wheeler

Popularized Einstein’s theory of relativity after WWII.

Edward Witten

Charted the topology of space-time.

Robert H. Dicke

Predicted the discovery of the Big Bang echo.

Allan R. Sandage

Discovered the first quasar.

See All Laureates in Theory & Foundations

Your universe has reached critical mass and collapsed. Fascinating!

Learn more about the pioneering scientists and thinkers behind this experiment at nationalmedals.org

Here are a few to check out:

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15+ Preschool Science Experiments that Explore Gravity

August 17, 2016 by Sheryl Cooper

Last Updated on July 22, 2024 by Sheryl Cooper

Inside: Explore gravity with these 7 fun preschool science experiments ! Activities that include pushing, throwing, and falling – all hands-on and fun!

Have you noticed how preschoolers are fascinated by things that move? Whether it’s pushing, throwing, or falling, they are very into it!

So why not tap into this interest?

Here are 7  fun preschool gravity experiments that you can add to your classroom or home activities , or for weekend fun.

 When talking about gravity with preschoolers, we keep it simple.

During our morning meeting or circle time , we demonstrate what happens if we drop an item.

We notice that it went down instead of up.

We can then try a gravity experiment during small groups, noticing that if we alter the movement or materials, things change.

This is basic and yet fascinating for this age group!

Defy Gravity  – This super cool activity is easy to make with paperclips and magnets. (Buggy and Buddy)

Drip Painting – Discover what happens when watercolors are dropped from the top of a vertical surface.

Galaxy in a Bottle  – The glitter doesn’t fall down, but instead rises as it settles. Crazy! (One Little Project)

Gravity Splatter Art – What happens when you drop something with paint on it?

Exploring Gravity with a Tube – Why does the position of the tube change the speed of the car? (HOAWG)

Exploring Gravity with Balance – Learn how to make a craft stick stand up right on a chopstick. (Rookie Parenting)

Gravity with a Pendulum  – Learn about the forces of motion and gravity by placing paint in swinging pendulum. (Innovation Kids Lab)

Pool Noodle Gravity Play – Explore gravity and slope by making your own pool noodle marble run. (Little Bins for Little Hands)

Ball Dropping Experiment – Drop different types of balls and see which one hits the ground first. (Inspiration Laboratories)

Apple Races – Explore gravity, motion, slopes, and more as they are rolled down plastic rain gutters. (Little Bins for Little Hands)

Water in a Jar Activity – How can you stop water from coming out of a glass when it’s turned upside down? (The Homeschool Scientist)

Bottle Rocket Launch – After making your own bottle rocket, make it launch by pumping air into it. (Science Sparks)

Which One is Heavier – Make your own balance scale and find different objects to weigh. (Go Science Kids)

Parachute Egg Drop Experiment – Learn about gravity and air resistance while dropping an egg using a parachute. (Science Sparks)

Center of Gravity Balancing Activity – This Cat in the Hat inspired activity involves balancing objects on a single point. (Preschool Pool Packets)

Exploring the Effects of Speed – Learn how speed has an effect on the gravitational pull on an object. (JDaniel4’s Mom)

More science for preschoolers:

Rainbow Science Activities

Winter Science Activities

15 Space Activities

Check out our favorite science toys and materials:

More science resources:

Hands-On Preschool STEM Activities

Science Activities that Explore Gravity

10 Science Experiments Preschoolers Love

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About Sheryl Cooper

Sheryl Cooper is the founder of Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds, a website full of activities for toddlers and preschoolers. She has been teaching this age group for over 25 years and loves to share her passion with teachers, parents, grandparents, and anyone with young children in their lives.

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Wonder of the Day #1974

Why Is There No Gravity in Space?

SCIENCE — Earth and Space

Have You Ever Wondered...

• Why is there no gravity in space?
• Is there gravity everywhere?
• What effect does distance have on gravity?
• Astronomy ,
• Astronaut ,
• Weightless ,
• International Space Station ,
• Spaceship ,

Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Alvin. Alvin Wonders , “ Why is there no gravity in space? ” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Alvin!

Have you ever seen videos of astronauts in space going on a "spacewalk"? If so, you know that they don't look like they're walking like they do on Earth. Instead, they sort of float around.

Here on Earth, when you drop a ball it falls to the ground. That's because of the powerful force of gravity . But in space, everything floats. Why is that?

Could it be because there's no air in outer space ? Maybe it's because the laws of physics don't apply to outer space?

Scientists will tell you that the laws of physics do indeed apply in outer space, and it's not a lack of air that accounts for the absence of gravity. So what's going on here? Why isn't there any gravity in space?

Those same scientists would actually be quick to correct your misunderstanding . Gravity is everywhere …even in space! So what accounts for that weightless feeling that astronauts experience in outer space? There are a couple of factors that explain it.

Anything with mass creates gravity. The gravity generated by the Sun, Earth, the Moon , and other planets stretches throughout outer space. However, the effect of that gravity decreases as distance increases. At extreme distances, the gravity exerted on a particular object might be almost zero, but it will never be completely absent.

Distance alone doesn't account for the weightless feeling astronauts get, however. To feel like there is no gravity due to distance, the distance must be truly extreme. For example, at the orbit of the International Space Station , which is approximately 250 miles above Earth, Earth's gravitational pull is still about 90% of what it is at Earth's surface .

The weightless feeling astronauts experience can be explained by their relation to the spaceship they're on. Astronauts on spaceships in outer space are affected by gravity in the same way that their spaceships are. They are both orbiting Earth, which means they're falling sideways at the same time they're falling toward Earth.

On Earth, astronauts feel the force of gravity as weight, because Earth's surface prevents them from falling . In outer space, however, there is no ground to push against astronauts. As they orbit and fall toward Earth at the same rate as their spaceship, astronauts feel weightless, as if there were no gravity.

Gravity exists everywhere , even in outer space. It may be so small at great distances that it's almost undetectable . Closer to Earth, however, astronauts get that weightless feeling not because of the absence of gravity, but because they're falling at the same rate as their spaceship and there's no ground to stop their fall and create the sensation of weight.

Wonder What's Next?

Tomorrow’s Wonder of the Day features a book that is bound to have you in stitches!

Are you ready to learn more about gravity? Check out the following activities with a friend or family member:

• Is gravity alive and well on Earth today? Find out! Grab a selection of different items from around the house. Some pencils, balls, and books should do the trick. Carefully release each item from a height of about four feet above the ground. What happens? Do any of the items float up to the ceiling? Why not? You guessed it! If they hit the floor, it's because gravity is alive and well. Have fun thinking about what life would be like if gravity did not exist. How would we deal with things floating off all the time?
• Want to duplicate the effect of gravity that astronauts feel in space? Check out the Gravity Water Drop science experiment online. You'll need a Styrofoam cup with a hole in it and some water. Follow the directions to see for yourself how gravity affects astronauts in space!
• Is it possible to defy gravity? Maybe! Try the Defying Gravity Experiment to see for yourself. All you'll need is some water, a glass, and a piece of cardboard. What do you think? Were you able to defy gravity? Share the experiment with friends and family members. What do they think will happen? Are they surprised by the result?

Wonder Sources

• http://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/education/ask/?quid=345
• http://www.space.com/7050-gravity-space.html
• http://www.space.com/14718-gravity-space-spacekids.html
• http://www.qrg.northwestern.edu/projects/vss/docs/space-environment/1-is-there-gravity-in-space.html

Did you get it?

Wonder contributors.

We’d like to thank:

Willhem , Sarah and Deandra for contributing questions about today’s Wonder topic!

Keep WONDERing with us!

Wonder Words

• undetectable
• misunderstanding
• gravitational

It's definitely beneficial for--say--furniture arrangement!

a_random_niceguy

What is perplexing, Jelly?

WONDERS about gravity.

WONDERS about space.

spongebob Squarepants

stranger things

You're welcome! 

That's WONDERful, Wonder Friend!

i would love to join this conversation

Thank you wonderopolis

You're welcome, Wonder Friend!

You just did. Congrats, stranger things! 

We're sorry to hear it makes you sad, uuuu.

Wonder Friend

THIS IS SO COOL!

It does seem kind of crazy, doesn't it? Here's a technical explanation of the gravitational force of Halley's Comet . Thanks for WONDERing with us, Derek! 

Jump in, luca with a long U!

This was an iteresting article wonderopolis. This answered some of my questions about gravity.

Yay! We're so glad that you learned more about gravity with us, Dylan!

Hi, Seppo! 

The people of earth

We're sorry to hear that, The people of earth! In this Wonder, we do learn that gravity is  everywhere , even in space, but astronauts feel weightless in space because they're  falling  at the same rate as their spaceship and there's no ground to stop their fall and create the sensation of weight.  We hope this helps! 

Thanks  for sharing, Zeriah! We hope that, after reading through this Wonder one more time, we help you discover more about gravity in space! 

Hi, zeriah! Did you like this Wonder?

We do, wonder!

I really like The stories

That's awesome to hear, Wonder Friend!! Are our  Wonders about space your favorites?

Cheese doesn't quite cause objects to float in space, but we do have some cool  Wonders about cheese!!  ??

Friendly man

How Do You Get A Job At NASA? Also I Love Your Website.

Thanks, Friendly Man!! We encourage you to do some research on how to get a job at NASA! That would be a very cool job to have!!

Hi, Owen! There actually is gravity in space - it is just almost undetectable at such great distances in space! Thanks for WONDERing with us!

Oh! Well thats nice to know because I am very interested in space!

i love space its so

... it's hard to describe, isn't it? Space is pretty amazing to WONDER about!!

? Are you thinking about going to space one day?? Or becoming a future astronaut?? 

I want too!!!

Thanks for sharing, Daryl!! ?

Andrew green

Hi, Andrew! Our Wonderopolis team LOVES to Wonder, and we love to hear about what you're Wondering, too! Did you know that you can add your own Wonders to our  Wonder Bank ???

That is definitely what a lot of people think, but there actually is gravity in space!! The amount of gravity may be extremely small, but it is still there! Thanks for WONDERing with us, Niko C!

Well done, Matthew!! Maybe you could share this Wonder with your friend! Thanks for WONDERing with us!! ?

That would be really cool!! Are you going to be the future scientist who makes this possible??

Space would take our breath (and words!) away, too! ? 

Would you ever want to go to space and float, Gabriel?

Hi, brianna! That is a great question! Be sure to submit it to our  Wonder Bank !!

WONDERful question, Michael! Have you submitted it to our  Wonder Bank ? Or, maybe you could take a Wonder Journey to find out! ?

Wow! That's fascinating, Olivia C.! Thanks for sharing, and thanks for being our Wonder Friends, Ms. Eden's Class!

That's WONDERful, Zoey!! ?

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Related Wonders for You to Explore

Do All Sharks Live In Saltwater?

What Type of Shark Is the Slowest?

Why Do Sharks Have Nostrils?

Who Was Kalpana Chawla?

How Do You Clean Up an Oil Spill?

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Question 1 of 3

Gravity is created by anything with what?

• a air Not Quite!
• b water Not Quite!
• c mass Correct!
• d motion Not Quite!

Question 2 of 3

The effect of gravity decreases as what increases?

• a distance Correct!
• b mass Not Quite!
• c weight Not Quite!
• d height Not Quite!

Question 3 of 3

Weightless is a good way to describe what astronauts feel in space, because rather than an absence of gravity causing the feeling, it’s actually caused by an absence of feeling what?

• a gravity Not Quite!
• b air Not Quite!
• c spaceship Not Quite!
• d weight Correct!

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Falling for Gravity

Calculate the acceleration of gravity using simple materials, a cell phone, and a computer to record, watch, and analyze the motion of a dropped object.

• Two-meter measuring tape or two meter sticks
• Masking tape
• Small, cheap, rugged flashlight
• Towel, carpeting, or other soft material for the dropped flashlight to land on
• Digital camera with video capability (the HD camera on a phone should work fine)
• Computer with a program that lets you play videos frame by frame (not shown)
• Pencil and paper to record data (not shown)

• Locate a wall with a non-reflective surface. This Snack will not work in front a whiteboard or window.
• Tape the two-meter measuring tape to a flat wall. Position the measuring tape so that the 0 cm mark is at the top and the remainder hangs straight down. (If using meter sticks, tape and stack the two sticks together to make a total length of two meters.)
• Directly below your measuring tape, place a towel, carpeting, or other material that will soften the impact of dropping the flashlight on the floor.
• To make the measurements more visible, add extra marks on pieces of masking tape and stick them next to the measuring tape every 5 or 10 centimeters.

Collect your data

Have one partner stand next to the measuring tape. Turn on the flashlight and point it upwards. Make sure your flashlight is on a non-blinking setting. Place the light as close to the 0 cm mark as possible and against the measuring tape. If possible, use only one finger to hold the flashlight still until the time of release. Have someone else film the drop with a digital camera (in HD at standard 30 frames per second).

Check your video to make sure you got the shot. Digital video is easy to erase and reshoot. Redo it if you didn’t get a clear view of your flashlight’s light falling straight down. Transfer your video file to a computer.

Record your data

Make a table with two columns to record your data. Label the columns “Time in seconds” and “Distance in meters.” (See the sample table below.)

Time Data: Since your camera records 30 frames a second, each frame represents only 1/30 of a second, or about 0.033 seconds. That means each frame will add an additional 0.033 seconds.

Distance Data: In your video player, find the frame just before your flashlight drops. (Note that frame-by-frame players usually let you move forward or backward via arrow keys. The frame you’re now at is time 0s and distance 0m.)

Now, step by step, record the distance in meters dropped and the corresponding time of the flashlight’s fall. Watch the screen closely. Notice that, during the first few steps, the flashlight doesn’t fall very much.

If your flashlight leaves a streak of light, only record the location at the bottom of the streak (the streak is a 1/30 th  of a second record of the light's fall).

Calculate the acceleration due to gravity

Acceleration describes how fast the rate of something changes.

Acceleration = ( V final – V initial ) / the time to make this change

Here’s an example using our data (see the table above): V initial is the flashlight’s velocity just before it’s dropped, or 0 m/s; V final is the velocity of the light at the end of the drop.

In our case, at time 0.297 to 0.33 s (time = 0.033 s), the distance traveled is from 0.4 m to 0.51 m (distance = 0.11 m).

V = distance / time

So, V final = 0.11 m / 0.033 s = 3.33 m/s

The time it takes to make that change is 0.33 s

Acceleration = (3.33 m/s – 0 m/s) / 0.33 s = 10 m/s 2

Use your own data to calculate the acceleration of the flashlight you drop.

In your own experiments, you can collect data from shorter or longer distances.

$$\text{Acceleration} = \frac{3.33 \text{m/s} - 0 \text{m/s}}{0.33 \text{s}} = 10 \text{m/s}^2$$

Gravity is a force that draws objects to one another. In this case, the objects are the flashlight and the earth. This fundamental interaction of nature causes objects like the flashlight to move toward the earth faster and faster.

Look at your data. You might notice that the distances between successive time intervals increases. This also means the object’s velocity is increasing, and increasing velocity is known as acceleration. You might have heard a car commercial use the phrase “Zero to sixty in five seconds,” or some such thing. That means the car went from one velocity to another in a certain period of time—that’s acceleration!

Things accelerate toward the earth at a constant rate. Your data should show that this rate is about 9.8 meters per second per second, or 9.8 m/s 2 . Scientists, engineers, teachers, and students also know this constant as, simply, g .

Graphing is a great way to see what’s going on with your data. Try plotting distance vs. time.

Is your graph a straight line? Is it a curve?

It should be a curve with the formula: d = 1/2 g t 2 ​. The graph of our sample data is shown below.

Put an object on a scale. Is it moving? Although it doesn’t look like it, your object is actually accelerating towards the earth. The scale’s pan is pushing again your object and forcing it from moving downward. The weight you read on your device is a result of the object’s mass and g .

Try doing this activity again, but drop lightweight objects with lots of surface area, such as coffee filters or feathers, and see how the results differ. Although g is still at work here, air resistance also plays a role.

See this Snack in action in this video .

Related Snacks

Zero Gravity Research Facility

The Zero Gravity Research Facility is NASA’s premier facility for ground based microgravity research, and the largest facility of its kind in the world. It provides researchers with a near weightless environment for a duration of 5.18 seconds.

Facility Overview

The Zero Gravity Research Facility is NASA’s premier facility for ground based microgravity research, and the largest facility of its kind in the world. The Zero-G facility is one of two drop towers located at the NASA site in Brook Park, Ohio. The Zero-G facility has been operational since 1966. It was originally designed and built during the space race era of the 1960s to support research and development of space flight components and fluid systems, in a weightless or microgravity environment. The facility is currently used by NASA funded researchers from around the world to study the effects of microgravity on physical phenomena such as combustion and fluid physics, to develop and demonstrate new technology for future space missions, and to develop and test experiment hardware designed for flight aboard the International Space Station or future spacecraft.

The Zero-G facility provides researchers with a near weightless or microgravity environment for a duration of 5.18 seconds. Microgravity, which is the condition of relative near weightlessness, can only be achieved on Earth by putting an object in a state of free fall. NASA conducts microgravity experiments on earth using drops towers and aircraft flying parabolic trajectories. Allowing the experiment hardware to free fall a distance of 432 feet (132 m) creates the microgravity environment at the Zero-G facility.

The free fall is conducted inside of a 467 foot (142 m) long steel vacuum chamber. The chamber is 20 ft (6.1 m) in diameter and resides inside of a 28.5 ft (8.7 m) diameter concrete lined shaft, which extends 510 feet (155 m) below ground level. A 5 stage vacuum pumping process is used to reduce the pressure in the chamber to a pressure of 0.05 torr (760 torr = standard atmospheric pressure). Evacuating the chamber to this pressure reduces the aerodynamic drag on the freely falling experiment vehicle to less than 0.00001 g. To prepare for a drop, an overhead crane is used to position the experiment vehicle and release mechanism at the top of the vacuum chamber. Once in position, the drop vehicle is connected to the facility control room via an umbilical cable. This cable allows the experiment to be monitored and controlled from the control room until the release sequence is initialized. It takes approximately one hour to evacuate the vacuum chamber. Once the chamber is evacuated the release sequence is initiated. Remotely fracturing a specially designed bolt allows the experiment to begin its 132 meter free fall. During the drop the experiment operates autonomously with all experiment power, data acquisition, and control functions located on the freely falling experiment vehicle.

After falling for just over 5 seconds the experiment vehicle is stopped in the decelerator cart, located at the bottom of the chamber. The decelerator cart is 11 foot ( 3.3 m) in diameter and nearly 20 ft (6.1 m) deep. It is filled with 1/8” (3 mm) diameter expanded polystyrene beads. These beads dissipate the kinetic energy of the 2500 lb. experiment vehicle, which is traveling at about 113 mph (50.5 m/s) when it enters the decelerator cart. The experiment vehicle is stopped in about 15 feet (4.6 m) of expanded polystyrene and experiences a peak deceleration rate approaching 65g.

The experiment drop vehicle serves as a load bearing structure and protects the experiment hardware from the shock loads experienced during the deceleration. The typical drop vehicle used is cylindrical in shape. It is 42” in (1 m) diameter and has and overall length of 13 ft (4.0 m). The drop vehicle gross weight is limited to a maximum of 2500 lbs (1130 kg).

Quick Facts

• Take a virtual tour of our Zero Gravity Research Facility.
• The Zero Gravity Research Facility provides a near weightless or microgravity environment for a duration of 5.18 seconds. This is accomplished by allowing the experiment vehicle to free fall, in a vacuum, a distance of 432 feet (132 m). The facility can provide a microgravity test environment for a fraction of the cost conducting an experiment in space and provides the best gravity levels of any of NASA’s ground based low gravity facilities.
• Experimental Drop Vehicles used in the Zero-G Facility can accomodate payloads up to 1000 lbs (455 kg).
• The free fall is conducted inside of a 467 foot (142 m) long steel vacuum chamber. Chamber pressure is reduced to 0.05 torr (760 torr = standard atmospheric pressure).
• The Zero-G facility was originally designed and built during the space race era of the 1960s to support research and development of space flight components and fluid systems, in a weightless environment.
• Microgravity, which is the condition of relative near weightlessness, can only be achieved on Earth by putting an object in a state of free fall. NASA conducts microgravity experiments on earth using drops towers and aircraft flying parabolic trajectories.

Capabilities

Operational parameters.

• Microgravity Duration: 5.18 seconds
• Free Fall Distance: 432 feet (132 m)
• Gravitational Acceleration: <0.00001 g, best gravity levels of any of NASA’s grounds based microgravity facilities
• Mean Deceleration: 35 g
• Peak Deceleration: 65 g
• Vacuum Level: 0.05 torr

Experimental Drop Vehicle

• Diameter: 42 in. (1 m)
• Total height: 13 feet (4 m)
• Gross vehicle weight: 2500 lbs. (1130 kg)
• Payload diameter: up to 38 in. (.97 m)
• Payload height: up to 66 in. (1.6 m)
• Payload weight: up to 1000 lbs (455 kg)
• 7 available drop vehicles

Instrumentation/Data Acquisition

• Video Cameras, analog and digital recording capabilities
• Analog-Digital Data Acquisition, 32 channels
• 24 VDC Battery Power
• Programmable Logic Controller
• Pressure Transducers
• Flow Meters
• Thermocouples
• Radiometers

Mode of Operation

• Provides microgravity test environment for a fraction of the cost of conducting an experiment in space
• Can accommodate NASA, government, and private industry research programs
• Two drops per day
• Engineering staff to perform or consult on payload design
• Technical staff to perform electrical and mechanical integration of payloads, and drop preparations
• Third party safety review of experiments is required

Zero Gravity Research Facility Facility Manager: Thomas Hoffman 216-433-5637 [email protected]

Test Facility Management Branch Branch Chief: Michael S. McVetta 216-433-2832 [email protected]

Using Our Facilities

NASA’s Glenn Research Center provides ground test facilities to industry, government, and academia. If you are considering testing in one of our facilities or would like further information about a specific facility or capability, please let us know .

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Science Experiments for Kids: Learning About Gravity

Up, up, and away: fun and easy gravity experiments for kids.

Table of Contents

Amaze your friends and family with a science show. Ask your audience to predict the outcome of each of these easy science experiments about gravity .

All objects on Earth are pulled toward the planet’s center by the force of gravity. Gravity is the force that makes a basketball swish through a hoop. Gravity is the force that makes your glass of juice crash to the floor when it slips out of your hand. Gravity is the force that keeps your feet on the ground when you go for a walk. As Judy Breckenridge points out in Simple Physics Experiments with Everyday Materials, “Without gravity we would all float off into outer space.” Hooray for gravity!

In this post, we will share some of the best gravity experiments that you can do with your kids, using everyday materials that you can find at home. From balloon rockets to pendulum painting, these experiments will keep your kids entertained and educated all at once. Get ready to inspire your little ones with the wonder of science!

Quick Introduction to Gravity

Gravity is the force by which a planet or other body draws objects toward its center. The force of gravity keeps all of the planets in orbit around the sun . Earth’s gravity is what keeps you on the ground and what makes things fall. It’s what holds the atmosphere in place so we can breathe and it’s what allows us to use rockets to launch into space.

Gravity is a fundamental force of nature that is present everywhere in the universe. It is what gives objects weight and is responsible for the motion of planets, stars, and galaxies. Without gravity, the universe as we know it would not exist.

Understanding the basics of gravity is important for many areas of science, including physics, astronomy, and engineering. By conducting simple gravity experiments, kids can learn about this fascinating force of nature in a fun and engaging way. From exploring how gravity affects different objects to create their own mini-gravity wells, there are many exciting experiments that kids can do to learn more about this fundamental force.

Science Experiment: Dropping objects of different weights

Experiment 1: Dropping objects of different weights is a classic gravity experiment that teaches kids about mass and gravity. All you need for this experiment are a few objects of different weights, like a feather, a rock, and a rubber ball, and a place to drop them from, like a balcony or a staircase.

Start by asking your child what they think will happen when they drop each object. Will the heavier object fall faster or slower than the lighter object? Then, drop each object one by one and observe what happens.

You’ll find that all objects fall at the same rate, regardless of their weight. This is because gravity pulls all objects towards the earth at the same acceleration rate , which is 9.8 meters per second squared. You can explain this to your child by saying that the earth’s gravity pulls all objects towards it with the same force, so they all fall at the same rate.

You can also ask your child to try dropping the objects from different heights and see if that affects the way they fall. This will give them a better understanding of how gravity works and how it affects objects. This experiment is a great way to introduce your child to science and to help them understand the world around them.

Science Experiment: Making a gravity well

A gravity well is a concept that is used to represent the way gravity affects the path of objects in space. In this experiment, your child will learn how gravity works by creating a visual representation of a gravity well.

Materials needed:

• A large, flat container (such as a baking tray)
• A small ball (such as a marble)
• Food coloring (optional)

Instructions:

• Pour a thin layer of flour into the flat container, making sure it covers the entire surface.
• Place the small ball in the center of the container.
• If desired, add a few drops of food coloring to the flour around the ball.
• Use your fingers to gently press down on the flour around the ball, creating a depression in the flour. The depression should be deepest around the ball and gradually become shallower as you move away from the ball.
• Observe how the ball remains in the center of the depression you created in the flour. This is because the flour represents the fabric of space-time and the ball is pulled towards the center by the force of gravity.

To take the experiment further, you can try adding more balls to the container and observe how they behave differently depending on their mass and distance from the center of gravity well. This experiment is a great way to introduce your child to the fascinating concept of gravity and spark their curiosity about the world around them.

Science Experiment: Magnets to simulate gravity

Using magnets to simulate gravitational pull can be a fun and interactive way to teach kids about gravity. In this experiment, you’ll need a few simple materials such as a magnet, paper clips, and a thin piece of string.

First, tie the string to the magnet and then attach a few paper clips to the other end of the string. Next, hold the magnet above one of the paper clips and release it. You’ll notice that the paper clip is attracted to the magnet and will follow it as it falls. This is similar to how gravity works, as objects with more mass are attracted to each other.

You can also use this experiment to show how different objects with varying masses will be affected by gravity. Try attaching different objects to the string, such as a feather, a coin, and a small toy car. You’ll notice that the magnet has a stronger pull on the coin and car due to their greater mass, while the feather will not be affected as much because it has less mass.

This experiment is a great way to introduce kids to the concept of gravity in a fun and interactive way. It can also be a starting point for further discussions about the laws of physics and the universe around us.

Science Experiment: Making a simple pendulum

Making a simple pendulum is a fun and easy way to learn about gravity and motion. For this experiment, you will need a few simple materials:

• A piece of string or thread
• A small weight, such as a paperclip or washer
• A sturdy surface to attach the string

To make your pendulum, tie the string around your weight and attach the other end to your sturdy surface. You can use a table, a chair, or any other surface that won’t move around too much.

Once your pendulum is set up, give it a gentle push to set it swinging. Watch how it moves back and forth, and notice how the speed and direction of the pendulum change.

To make your experiment even more fun, try changing the length of the string or the weight of the pendulum. How does this affect the way the pendulum moves? Can you predict how the pendulum will behave based on these changes?

Making a simple pendulum is a great way to introduce kids to the concept of gravity and motion. Plus, it’s a fun and easy experiment that can be done with materials you probably already have at home.

Science Experiment: Gravity and Air Resistance

Before performing this experiment, show your audience a shoe and a flat piece of notebook or copy paper. Explain that you will be dropping both objects from the same height. Then ask your audience these questions:

• Who thinks the shoe will hit the floor first?
• Who thinks the paper will hit the floor first?
• Who thinks both objects will hit the floor at the same time?

Experiment:

• Hold the shoe in one hand and the paper in the other.
• Hold both objects high in front of you at equal heights.
• Release both objects at the same time.

Observation: The shoe hits the floor first.

Explanation: Because of the paper’s shape, its fall is slowed by air pushing up against its under-surface – this slowing effect is called air resistance.

Science Experiment: Effect of Gravity on Plant Growth

One of the most interesting aspects of gravity is its effect on living organisms. In this experiment, we’ll be looking at how gravity affects plant growth.

To start, you’ll need to gather some materials. You’ll need:

• 2 identical plants
• 2 identical pots
• Begin by filling both pots with soil and planting one of your plants in each pot.
• Water them both thoroughly and place them side by side in a sunny location.
• Now comes the fun part. Take one of the pots and place it on its side. This will cause the plant inside to be growing at a 90-degree angle to the ground. Leave the other pot standing upright.
• Over the next few weeks, observe the growth of both plants. Measure their height using the ruler and take note of any other differences you can see.

What you should find is that the plant growing at a 90-degree angle to the ground will grow differently than the plant growing upright. This is because gravity plays an important role in how plants grow. The plant growing on its side will have to work harder to grow against the pull of gravity, resulting in a different growth pattern than the one growing normally.

This experiment is a great way to teach kids about the effects of gravity on living organisms and can lead to further discussions about how gravity affects everything from trees to humans. Have fun experimenting!

Science Experiment: Gravity and Weight

Before performing this experiment, show your audience the shoe and the piece of paper crumpled into a ball. Explain that you will be dropping both objects from the same height. Then ask your audience these questions:

• Who thinks the paper ball will hit the floor first?
• Hold the shoe in one hand and the paper ball in the other.

Observation: The shoe and the paper ball hit the floor at the same time.

Explanation: Even though the earth exerts more pull on a heavier object, a lighter object experiences a greater degree of acceleration, meaning that it moves at a greater speed. Consequently, objects of different weights fall at the same rate when other forces such as air resistance are not a factor.

Science Experiment: Center of Gravity

Now it’s time for audience participation in your science show. Ask for volunteers for each of these exercises involving the center of gravity:

Pick up a penny

Ask a volunteer to stand against a wall with his feet together, heels pressed against the wall. Place a penny about one foot away on the floor in front of him. Ask him to pick up the penny without moving his feet or bending his knees. Can he do it?

Lift your left foot

Ask a volunteer to stand with her right side against a wall, pressing her right foot and cheek against it. Instruct her to lift her left foot off the floor. Can she do it?

Jump forward

Ask a volunteer to bend forward and grab his toes, keeping his knees slightly bent. Tell him to jump forward without letting go of his toes. Can he do it?

Ask a volunteer to sit in a straight-backed chair. Tell her to keep her back straight, her feet flat on the floor, and her arms folded across her chest. Then ask her to stand up. Can she do it?

Observation: Because all of these tasks restrict the center of gravity, it’s almost impossible for a person to perform any of them.

Explanation: As far as gravity is concerned, the weight of an object is concentrated at a single center point. The center of gravity for an object with a regular shape – the Earth, for example – is located at its geometric center. However, in irregularly shaped objects – the human body , for instance – the center of gravity moves around. If you try to shift too far away from your center of gravity, you’ll lose your balance.

Share Fun Science Experiments With Family and Friends

Learning new things about the world around you is fun and exciting. It’s even more fun when you share your discoveries with your family and friends. Gravity is just one of the interesting forces of nature – there are many more to explore and share.

Final thoughts on teaching kids about gravity

Gravity is a fascinating concept that has been studied and explored by scientists for centuries. Teaching kids about gravity can be a fun and engaging way to introduce them to the wonders of science and the natural world around them.

By conducting simple experiments and activities, kids can learn about the basic principles of gravity and how it affects the world around us. From dropping objects of different weights to observing how objects fall at the same rate, there are endless ways to explore this fascinating force.

Not only can teaching kids about gravity be fun, but it can also help to develop their critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and scientific knowledge. By encouraging kids to ask questions and explore the world around them, we can inspire a love of learning and an appreciation for science that can last a lifetime.

Teaching kids about gravity can be a fun and rewarding experience for both children and adults alike. By providing opportunities for hands-on exploration and discovery, we can help kids develop a lifelong love of science and learning. So, let’s get started and see where the wonders of gravity take us!

• Bardhan-Quallen, Sudipta. Championship Science Fair Projects . NY: Sterling Publishing, 2004.
• Breckenridge, Judy. Simple Physics Experiments with Everyday Materials . NY: Sterling Publishing, 1993.
• Cobb, Vicki. Bet You Can’t! NY: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, 1980.

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What is microgravity (grades 5-8), nasa stem team, is there gravity in space, why do objects float in orbit, how can spacecraft fall around earth, why does nasa study microgravity, can microgravity be found on earth, more about microgravity.

This article is for students grades 5-8.

Microgravity is the condition in which people or objects appear to be weightless. The effects of microgravity can be seen when astronauts and objects float in space. Microgravity can be experienced in other ways, as well. “Micro-” means “very small,” so microgravity refers to the condition where gravity seems to be very small. In microgravity, astronauts can float in their spacecraft – or outside, on a spacewalk. Heavy objects move around easily. For example, astronauts can move equipment weighing hundreds of pounds with their fingertips. Microgravity is sometimes called “zero gravity,” but this is misleading.

Gravity causes every object to pull every other object toward it. Some people think that there is no gravity in space. In fact, a small amount of gravity can be found everywhere in space. Gravity is what holds the moon in orbit around Earth. Gravity causes Earth to orbit the sun. It keeps the sun in place in the Milky Way galaxy. Gravity, however, does become weaker with distance. It is possible for a spacecraft to go far enough from Earth that a person inside would feel very little gravity. But this is not why things float on a spacecraft in orbit. The International Space Station orbits Earth at an altitude between 200 and 250 miles. At that altitude, Earth’s gravity is about 90 percent of what it is on the planet’s surface. In other words, if a person who weighed 100 pounds on Earth’s surface could climb a ladder all the way to the space station, that person would weigh 90 pounds at the top of the ladder.

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Words to Know

free fall: the condition of moving freely in an environment in which gravity, and nothing else, is causing acceleration

vacuum: the absence of all matter, including air

mass: the measurement for the amount of matter in an object

If 90 percent of Earth’s gravity reaches the space station, then why do astronauts float there? The answer is because they are in free fall . In a vacuum , gravity causes all objects to fall at the same rate. The mass of the object does not matter. If a person drops a hammer and a feather, air will make the feather fall more slowly. But if there were no air, they would fall at the same acceleration. Some amusement parks have free-fall rides, in which a cabin is dropped along a tall tower. If a person let go of an object at the beginning of the fall, the person and the object would fall at the same acceleration. Because of that, the object would appear to float in front of the person. That is what happens in a spacecraft. The spacecraft, its crew and any objects aboard are all falling toward but around Earth. Since they are all falling together, the crew and objects appear to float when compared with the spacecraft.

What does it mean to fall around Earth? Earth’s gravity pulls objects downward toward the surface. Gravity pulls on the space station, too. As a result, it is constantly falling toward Earth’s surface. It also is moving at a very fast speed – 17,500 miles per hour. It moves at a speed that matches the way Earth’s surface curves. If a person throws a baseball, gravity will cause it to curve down. It will hit the ground fairly quickly. An orbiting spacecraft moves at the right speed so the curve of its fall matches the curve of Earth. Because of this, the spacecraft keeps falling toward the ground but never hits it. As a result, they fall around the planet. The moon stays in orbit around Earth for this same reason. The moon also is falling around Earth.

NASA studies microgravity to learn what happens to people and equipment in space. Microgravity affects the human body in several ways. For example, muscles and bones can become weaker without gravity making them work as hard. Astronauts who live on the space station spend months in microgravity. Astronauts who travel to Mars also would spend months in microgravity traveling to and from the Red Planet. NASA must learn about the effects of microgravity to keep astronauts safe and healthy. In addition, many things seem to act differently in microgravity. Fire burns differently. Without the pull of gravity, flames are more round. Crystals grow better. Without gravity, their shapes are more perfect. NASA performs science experiments in microgravity. These experiments help NASA learn things that would be hard or perhaps impossible to learn on Earth.

For the same reason microgravity exists in orbit, it can also be found on Earth. NASA uses airplanes to create microgravity for short periods of time. The airplane does this by flying in up-and-down parabolas. At the top of the parabola, people and objects inside the airplane are in free fall for about 20-30 seconds at a time. For the same reasons, a person can even experience free fall very briefly going over a large hill, like on a roller coaster. Microgravity also can be experienced in amusement park free-fall rides. NASA also uses drop towers to study microgravity. Objects are dropped using special equipment from the top of these tall towers, experiencing free fall as they drop.

NASA Microgravity Site for Students and Educators Fun in Microgravity Picture Gallery NASA – What Is Microgravity? NASA Edge at Physics Day With Microgravity Man Video Podcast

Read What Is Microgravity? (Grades K-4)

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27 Gravity Activities For Elementary Students: Experiments And Resources

December 28, 2023 //  by  Alison Vrana

The concept of gravity is one of the core concepts that are taught in elementary science classes. Students also need to be able to understand how gravity works in order to move on to upper-level science classes like physics. The lessons, activities, and gravity science experiments below teach kids how gravity and motion work in tandem. These lessons are aimed at creating life-long science interests so check out our 27 amazing activities that’ll help you do just that! 

1. Watch “How Gravity Works For Kids”

This animated video is perfect to start a unit. The video explains gravity in simple science vocabulary that students can understand. As an added bonus, this video can be shared with absent students so they don’t get behind.

Learn More: YouTube

2. DIY Balance Scales

This science activity can be used to teach motion and gravity at any age. Using hangars, cups, and other household items, students will have to determine which items balance and which items are heavier than others. Teachers can then talk about the relationship between weight and gravity.

Learn More: Go Science Kids

3. Egg Drop Experiment

The egg drop experiment is a student-friendly science activity for elementary students. There are different ways to complete the experiment which include building a paper cradle or using a balloon drop to protect the egg. Kids will love trying to protect their eggs as they’re dropped from a high vantage point.

Learn More: Science Sparks

4. Gravity Drop

This gravity drop activity is super simple and requires very little prep from the teacher. Students will drop different items and test how each item falls. 

Learn More: Stay At Home Educator

5. Marble Maze

The marble maze is a hands-on science investigation task that will teach kids about gravity and motion. Kids will build different mazes and observe how the marble travels through the maze based on different ramp heights.

Learn More: Investors Of Tomorrow

6. DIY Gravity Well

The DIY gravity well is a quick demonstration that students can complete at a learning center or as a group in class. Using a strainer, students can observe how an object travels from the top to the bottom. This great lesson also doubles as an opportunity to teach about speed.

7. Superhero Gravity Experiment

Kids will love combining their favorite superheroes with learning. In this experiment, children work in partners to experiment with how to make their superhero “fly”. They learn about different heights and textures to see how gravity helps the superhero move through the air.

Learn More: Teaching Ideas

8. Anti-Gravity Galaxy in a Bottle

This activity demonstrates how gravity and water work. Teachers can also connect this demonstration to the idea of friction. Students will make an “anti-gravity” galaxy in a bottle to see how glitter floats in the water.

Learn More: One Little Project

9. Gravity Book Read-aloud

Reading aloud is a great way to start the day or start a new unit with your elementary learners. There are several helpful books about gravity that kids will love. These books also explore science concepts like friction, motion, and other core ideas.

Learn More: CBC Public Library

10. Balancing Stick Sidekick Activity

This is a super simple activity that helps introduce kids to the concepts of balance and gravity. Teachers will give each student a popsicle stick, or a similar item, and have them try to balance the stick on their fingers. As students experiment, they will learn how to balance the sticks.

Learn More: Hands-On As We Grow

11. G is for Gravity Experiment

This is another good activity to introduce the concept of gravity in your primary classroom. Give your students a bunch of different objects of varying weights and sizes. The students will then drop them from a designated height whilst timing the drop with a stopwatch. What a fun way to learn how gravity relates to mass!

Learn More: PBS

12. Large Tube Gravity Experiment

This activity is a fun idea to introduce students to friction, motion, and gravity. Kids will experiment with how to get a car to travel faster down the tube. As students try different tube heights they will record real-time student data for their experiment.

13. Splat! Painting

This art lesson is a simple way to incorporate a cross-curricular lesson that teaches gravity. Students will use paint and different objects to see how the paint creates different shapes with the help of gravity.

Learn More: Fun A Day

14. Gravity Defying Beads

In this activity, students will use beads to demonstrate the concepts of inertia, momentum, and gravity. The beads are a fun tactile resource for this experiment, and as an added bonus, they make noise which adds to the appeal of a visual and auditory lesson.

Learn More: The Chaos And The Clutter

15. The Great Gravity Escape

This lesson is good for upper elementary students or advanced students who need more enrichment. The activity uses a water balloon and string to see how gravity can create an orbit. Teachers can then apply this concept to space crafts and planets.

Learn More: Teach Engineering

16. Center of Gravity

This lesson requires only a few resources and little preparation. Students will experiment with gravity and balance to discover different items’ centers of gravity. This hands-on experiment is super simple but teaches kids a lot about core gravity concepts.

Learn More: Teacher Source Blog

17. Gravity Spinner Craft

This gravity craft is a great lesson to wrap up your science unit. Kids will use common classroom resources to make a spinner that is controlled by gravity. This a fun way to bring science concepts to life for young learners.

Learn More: Teach Beside Me

18. The Spinning Bucket

This lesson shows the relationship between gravity and motion. A strong person will spin a bucket full of water and students will see how the motion of the bucket affects the trajectory of the water.

Learn More: Sciencing

19. Hole in the Cup

This activity demonstrates how objects in motion together stay in motion together. Teachers will use a cup with a hole at the bottom filled with water to demonstrate how the water will come out of the cup when the teacher is holding it because of gravity. If the teacher drops the cup, the water won’t spill out of the hole because the water and the cup are dropping together.

20. Water Defying Gravity

This is a cool experiment that seemingly defies gravity. All you need is a glass filled with water, an index card, and a bucket. The lesson will demonstrate how gravity affects objects differently to create the illusion of anti-gravity.

Learn More: Kidz Search

21. Gravity Painting

This crafty activity is another great way to incorporate gravity into a cross-curricular activity. Students will use paint and straws to create their very own gravity painting. This is perfect for 3rd- 4th-grade science class.

Learn More: Curiodyssey

22. Bottle Blast Off!

Kids will love building their own rockets using just air to launch them. Teachers can help students understand how rockets are able to travel into the sky despite gravity. This lesson requires a lot of student direction, but they will remember what they learn for a lifetime!

Learn More: Exploratorium

23. Falling Feather

5th-grade science teachers will love this experiment. Students will observe how objects fall at different accelerations if resistance in the air is present versus falling at the same acceleration if there is no resistance.

24. A Pencil, Fork, and Apple Experiment

This experiment uses just three objects to demonstrate how weight and gravity interact. Students will be able to visualize how the objects are able to balance because of gravity. This experiment is best conducted if the teacher demonstrates it at the front of the class for all to see.

Learn More: Kid Minds

25. Watch 360 Degree Zero Gravity

This video is great to incorporate into a gravity unit. Students will love seeing how zero gravity affects people and what astronauts look like in space.

26. Magnetism and Defying Gravity

This science experiment uses paper clips and magnets to help students determine if magnetism or gravity is stronger. Students will use their observation skills to determine which force is stronger before stating why.  

Learn More: Education

27. Textured Ramps

In this cool science activity, students will use different ramp heights and the variable of ramp texture to see how gravity and friction affect speed. This is another experiment that’s great for science centers or as a whole class demonstration.

Learn More: Teach Junkie

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Simple Gravity Experiments

The Physical Factors Affecting Parachutes

Gravity is a fundamental part of nature that keeps our feet planted firmly on the ground. This unseen force is responsible for tides, keeping Earth from careening into the darkness of space, and for causing food to hit the kitchen floor when it slips from your hand. Though invisible, gravity's effects can be observed by performing simple and easy-to-do experiments.

Galileo's Experiment

Named after the scientist who is popularly believed (though not verified) to have performed this experiment, it involves taking two objects of different sizes and weights and dropping them to see which one hits the ground first. As the Earth's gravity affects objects at the same rate regardless of their weight, without air resistance the objects should hit the ground at the same time. Try this with different objects with varying weights and air resistance and observe its effects.

The Spinning Bucket

Showing the relation between motion and gravity, for this experiment you need a bucket with water and someone with a strong arm to spin it. In theory, when the bucket turns upside down the water should come spilling out as gravity pulls it downwards. Spinning it fast enough, the water tends to keep going in a straight line, counteracting the pull of gravity and thus wedging it to the end of the bucket, preventing the natural pull of gravity from spilling the water. This is why this effect, called “centrifugal force” is often referred to as artificial gravity.

The Hole in the Cup

For this experiment you need a paper cup and some water. Poke a hole in the cup and cover it with a finger; fill the cup with water. Take your finger from the hole and notice the water spills out. Though gravity pulls down both objects, only water moves freely (because you're holding the cup); thus, gravity forces the water out. Fill the cup again and drop it to the ground. Now that both objects are free to move, they drop at the same speed so the water isn't forced out of the hole.

Center of Gravity

A center of gravity experiment can be done quite easily; all that is required is a pencil or pen and your finger. Try to balance the pen at different positions on your finger until you reach the point where it doesn't fall off. This is the center of gravity of the pen, the point in which its weight averages out and, if it were in a weightless environment, the point at which it can freely rotate. Put on the cap and try to balance it again. As the weight of an object changes, so does its center of gravity.

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• Kids Science Experiments: Spinning Bucket of Water
• Discovery Channel: Gravity Gets You Down
• NASA: Center of Gravity

About the Author

Steve Johnson is an avid and passionate writer with more than five years of experience. He's written for several industries, including health, dating and Internet marketing, as well as for various websites. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas.

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Gravity Activities For Preschoolers

There are so many low or no-prep hands-on gravity activities that you can do with young kids to introduce this concept! We love easy preschool science activities !

Fun Ways To Demonstrate Gravity

Here’s my son at age 3, exploring a book filled with pictures of kids testing out gravity. Then, we had a blast jumping, falling, dropping, rolling, and pouring things together. I think he got the idea that what goes up must come down (unless it gets stuck)! Here are super quick ways to demonstrate gravity in 2 minutes.

• Pour water into a glass.
• Knock something (not breakable) off a table.
• Fall onto a bed or a pile of cushions.
• Push a toy car down a toy ramp (Hotwheels tracks).
• Toss a pile of socks in the air.

Gravity Activities For Kids

How do you explain gravity to young kids? You show them! Take a look at these playful, hands-on activities that get kids moving and explore how fun gravity is. My son loves anything gross motor involved, and gravity activities can incorporate lots of movement for young kids.

💡Get up and test gravity for yourself with a free gravity activity pack ! Share this information guide, quick activity, and gravity coloring sheet with your kids!

Some activities share an easy description to get you started, as they are meant to be low to no prep. In comparison, some activities have links to explore further how to do the activity!

💡 Note: While the concept of gravity is much more involved than the simple examples below, it’s just the right amount of information for our youngest scientists! For older kids, check out these gravity experiments !

Dropping Objects

Have kids drop various objects (e.g., balls, feathers, toys) from different heights and observe how they fall. Explain that gravity pulls objects down towards the Earth.

Feather and Coin Test

Place a feather and a coin side by side. Ask kids which one will hit the ground first when dropped. Demonstrate that they both fall at the same rate due to gravity.

Water Balloon Toss

Fill water balloons and play catch. Discuss how the balloons fall because of gravity pulling them downward.

Show how gravity affects us by performing jumping jacks, jumping on a trampoline, or simply jumping in place and feeling the force pulling us back to the ground.

Magnet Play

Use a magnet and a variety of metal and nonmetal objects to show how magnetic pull is stronger than gravity. Check out all sorts of fun magnet activities here .

Balancing Act

Use a ruler or stick to balance various objects on the edge. Talk about how gravity keeps them stable or causes them to fall. Check out our balancing apple or balancing animal activities to try this!

Paper Airplanes

Fold paper airplanes and see how gravity pulls them downward when thrown. make our paper airplane launcher here.

Rolling Race

Use toy cars or balls to race down ramps at different angles. Discuss how gravity influences their speed. Check out our ramps and friction activity for preschoolers or this fun apple race gravity demonstration.

Waterfall Experiment

Pour water down a sloped surface and watch it flow due to gravity. Build a water wall!

Floating and Sinking

Test different objects in a water basin to see which ones float (buoyancy) and sink due to gravity. Try this sink or float experiment!

Marble Run/Maze

Build a simple marble maze and observe gravity pulling the marbles through the tracks. Use paper towel tubes to create a marble coaster.

Helium Balloons

Compare regular and helium balloons to show how gravity pulls one down while the other floats up.

Quick explanation: Gravity is still pulling down the balloon but the special gas inside keeps is different than regular air so it keeps it floating instead. In fact, if you don’t tie down a helium balloon it will float away until the gas inside slowly leaks out.

Musical Chairs

Play musical chairs and discuss how gravity keeps everyone seated until the music stops.

Bouncing Balls

Show how gravity causes a ball to bounce back up after hitting the ground. Have fun tossing and bouncing different balls. See how you can incorporate this into gravity art below.

Fly Swatter Balloon Tennis

Play a fly swatter balloon tennis game where kids try to “swat” falling balloons to show gravity in action.

Gravity Art

Place a large sheet of paper on the floor. Have kids stand up and drip paint onto paper placed on the floor and watch how gravity creates unique patterns. Try using eye droppers or basters! Alternatively, you can take it outside and have kids drop small bouncy balls covered in paint onto the paper. Fun, messy, process art for kids!

Collapsing Towers

Build towers with various materials (e.g., cards, paper cups) and let kids knock them down to see gravity at work. Try this paper cup tower challenge to get started!

Rolling Downhill

Walk outside and have fun rolling balls or toys down a hill to see gravity’s influence. If you are daring roll yourself down the hill.

Playground Fun

Take a trip to the playground and point out how gravity affects you on the slide, monkey bars, and swings! Gravity is always pulling you back down and can make the monkey bars quite challenging!

Slinky Play

A slinky loves gravity and a set of stairs. If your kids have never played with a slinky, it’s a must-try activity.

Remember, preschool-age kids learn best through hands-on play, so try to make these activities engaging and interactive. Encourage their curiosity and ask open-ended questions to help them explore the concept of gravity further. I love the question, “What do you think will happen if_______?”

What is Gravity?

Earth’s gravity is the force that keeps everything on the planet’s surface and makes things fall to the ground. Good thing!

Imagine you are standing on the ground, and there’s an invisible force pulling you down toward the Earth. That force is called gravity. It’s like a giant magnet that attracts everything with mass toward the center of the Earth.

The Earth is super big and has a lot of mass, which means it has a strong pull. That’s why we don’t float away into space like astronauts do when they’re far from Earth. Instead, gravity keeps us firmly planted on the ground.

Have you ever watched a NASA video of an astronaut floating around inside his/her ship?

The Moon also has gravity, but its pull is not as strong because it’s much smaller than Earth. That’s why astronauts can jump higher on the Moon than on Earth!

Even if you can jump really high, you’ll still come back down!

Now, the Earth’s gravity doesn’t just work on you; it also works on everything around you, living and nonliving! It pulls down the trees, the buildings, and even the air you breathe. That’s why things always fall when you drop them. The Earth’s gravity is pulling them like the glass of milk that my son knocked off the table this morning!

When you throw a ball up in the air, it comes back down because of gravity!

Gravity is a fantastic force that keeps our feet on the ground, helps things stay where they are, and makes the world work together. Without gravity, everything would be floating around in space. So, we can thank Earth’s gravity for making our planet such a fantastic place to live!

TIP: Get kids talking about what types of things they think gravity effects in their life!

Books About Gravity

Here are some simple and engaging book ideas that will introduce the concept of gravity in a fun way, making them suitable for preschoolers and kindergarteners who are just beginning to explore scientific concepts.

“Newton and Me” by Lynne Mayer : This beautifully illustrated picture book introduces young children to the concept of gravity through the story of a young boy and his toy. It’s a charming and easy-to-understand book for preschoolers.

“Gravity” by Jason Chin : While this book is suitable for older preschoolers and kindergarteners, it features stunning illustrations and a straightforward explanation of gravity that young children can enjoy with the help of an adult.

“What Is Gravity?” by Lisa Trumbauer : This book from the “Rookie Read-About Science” series is designed for young readers and provides a basic introduction to gravity. It includes simple text and colorful pictures, making it perfect for kindergarteners.

“I Fall Down” by Vicki Cobb : Geared toward preschoolers and kindergarteners, this book playfully explores the concept of gravity. It features interactive experiments and encourages young children to think about gravity daily.

“Gravity Is a Mystery” by Franklyn M. Branley : Part of the “Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science” series, this book is aimed at early elementary readers but can be suitable for kindergarteners with adult guidance. It uses simple language and illustrations to explain gravity in a way that young children can grasp.

Helpful Science Resources To Get You Started

Here are a few resources that will help you introduce science more effectively to your kiddos or students and feel confident yourself when presenting materials. You’ll find helpful free printables throughout.

• Best Science Practices (as it relates to the scientific method)
• Science Vocabulary
• 8 Science Books for Kids
• All About Scientists
• Science Supplies List
• Science Tools for Kids

Printable Preschool Activities Pack

Get ready to explore this year with our growing Preschool STEM Bundle .

What’s Included:

There are 12+ fun preschool themes to get you started. This is an ” I can explore” series!

Each unit contains approximately 15 activities, with instructions and templates  as needed. Hands-on activities are provided to keep it fun and exciting. This includes sensory bins, experiments, games, and more! Easy supplies keep it low cost and book suggestions add the learning time. 

This is great! So many fun ways to explore gravity!

AWESOME explanation and such a variety of ways for children to experience gravity! I am in love with your indoor slide combo – wherever did you get it?

I always thought of gravity as too complicated to explain to my preschooler but you nailed it with these fun ways to show gravity in action! The slinky is an awesome idea. My daughter would have a blast falling down and throwing things in the air only to see them fall, all in the name of science! 🙂

What a simple but fun way to explain the meaning of gravity and what it can do. I think reading gravity’s definition in a book makes it more complicated. I am sure Liam did enjoy the whole activity just looking at the photos.

It’s called Rhapsody by Cedar Works. We were lucky to purchase this from a friend used so the cause was significantly lower. S cool to have! Everyone is always jealous when they come over.

Gravity is a fascinating subject. Love a giant slinky experiment – so fun! Thanks for sharing with Afterschool!

Thank you for having us! He had a lot of fun experimenting around the house!

I love these simple experiments! I am featuring it today as part of a round up of Science activities for After School.

Awesome! Thank you. I will stop by to check it out!

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September 6, 2024 dialog

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written by researcher(s)

Why are black holes stable against their own gravity?

by Peter Morley

Neutron stars are timelike matter with a maximum mass of about 2.34 solar masses in quantum chromodynamics (the strong color force). Black holes are spacelike matter that have no maximum mass, but a minimum mass of 2.35 solar masses. Indeed, black holes have been identified with millions or billions of solar masses.

All timelike matter is causal, while black hole spacelike matter is acausal. Acausal spacelike matter has no identifiable particle states (everything is off mass-shell in the spacelike region), no Pauli principle, no equations of motion, no equation of hydrostatic stability, no equations of state, no entropy, no temperature, no Planck constant, no Boltzmann constant, no finite temperature quantum field theory.

The only quantities a black hole has are gravitational invariants, which are observables at infinity and the scalar curvature R. Functions of gravitational invariants are also gravitational invariants such as its volume, area, radius, etc.

Gravitational manifolds are metric spaces that have isometric symmetries, and these gravitational invariants are invariants under these symmetries. If the metric space is Minkowski space, the isometric symmetries are just the familiar Poincare group.

Black holes are stable objects with no maximum mass

The black hole pressures—P S , the outward pressure keeping it inflated from the negative scalar curvature, and P M the inward pressure from self-gravity trying to compress it—are gravitational invariants. In the proof that P S = -P M , it is shown that the equilibrium is also stable and a universal black hole constant emerges F = 3c 4 /4G = 9.077...x10 43 N.

All black holes have the same force constant F inflating them, independent of black hole mass. It is this new black hole universal constant that explains why black holes have no maximum mass.

There are two immediate consequences of this universal force constant:

(1) The largest pressure in the universe, P universe , is a physical observable and calculable. The smallest black hole has the highest pressure in the universe. Using the previously mentioned estimated minimum 2.35 solar mass, one obtains P universe = 1.5183...x 10 35 N/m 2 . This is an incomprehensibly large value, so we can compare it to the estimated center pressure of Jupiter P Jupiter = 650 x 10 6 pounds/in 2 (NASA website—uses British units), giving P universe /P Jupiter = 3.3878...x10 22 , still beyond human comprehension.

(2) There exists an area law for black holes to coalesce, but it is not Hawking's guess and has nothing whatever to do with entropy. In order for two coalescing black holes to form with pressures P 1 and P 2 in the volume, leaving a remnant with pressure P 3 , it is required that P 1 +P 2 > P 3 , otherwise the remnant cannot exist. Since the pressures are P = F/area, with universal force constant F, this gives the actual black hole coalescing area law, involving reciprocal areas 1/A 1 + 1/A 2 > 1/A 3 . The available gravitational wave data is consistent with this reciprocal coalescing area law. The existence of the universal black hole constant controls the coalescence of black holes.

Question of black hole singularities

Applying causality to acausal spacelike matter always leads to contradictions. The widely quoted statement that black holes have a singularity is based on the misapplication of the causal Einstein equations of motion to acausal black holes, producing a fake singularity, see figure 2.

This equation is a contradiction, because the scalar curvature is a gravitational invariant on the left-hand side, but the right-hand side has spherical coordinates, which are not gravitationally invariant. In the article published in Reports in Advances of Physical Sciences , it is thus proved that black holes have no singularities.

Contradictions always arise if causal physics is applied to black hole spacelike matter

There are contradictions that arise if causal finite temperature quantum field theory is misappropriated to acausal spacelike black holes: In a commonly cited reference, Hawking did this exact misappropriation and stated that black holes have a temperature and evaporate away their mass, reaching the vacuum state.

Where is the contradiction that we expect when causal physics is applied to acausal spacelike black holes? If black holes truly radiated, their mass would indeed approach zero, but as Figure 1 shows, their negative scalar curvature R does not go to zero, but instead goes to negative infinity: The black hole end state is not the required vacuum state R = 0. This is the contradiction that arises from misappropriated causal finite temperature field theory to acausal spacelike matter.

Renormalization of the scalar curvature R

One of the goals in general relativity is the renormalization of R in four-dimensional spacetime. It is shown in a 2018 article that the renormalization of R in finite temperature quantum field theory satisfies the same theorem as the renormalization of the thermodynamic potential.

Both quantities are physical observables that have no "legs" (meaning no external Green functions) in Feynman diagrams. The "infamous" prediction in quantum field theory that the electroweak vacuum energy density is 10 120 orders of magnitude larger than the experimental vacuum energy density is a false statement, because this constant term cancels out in the renormalization theorem for the thermodynamic potential.

Finally, one can say that the planet Jupiter, because of causality, is inarguably a much more complicated object than an acausal black hole.

This story is part of Science X Dialog , where researchers can report findings from their published research articles. Visit this page for information about Science X Dialog and how to participate.

Dr. Peter Morley is a theoretical physicist. A partial listing of his papers can be found here: inspirehep.net/authors/996788

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