Lesson 4 of 84 · Forces
Experiment⭐ 30 XP⚡ Spark LabGravity: The Force That Pulls
Gravity: The Force That Pulls.
🎯 Your mission
Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.
⚡ The twist
Energy never disappears — it just hides somewhere else.
Mind = Blown
🎢 You feel weightless on a roller coaster because you and the seat are falling at the same speed.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you start: which will move faster, and why?
What You'll Learn
Gravity is the force that pulls objects toward each other. On Earth, gravity pulls everything toward the center of the planet, giving objects their weight.
Key Words
- friction
- inertia
Materials Needed
- pencils
- toy cars
- ramps
- string
- weights
Safety First
- Wear safety goggles when mixing liquids.
- Wash hands after handling materials.
Steps
Review the background information on Forces before starting.
Construct a catapult from popsicle sticks and rubber bands. Launch a marshmallow from different angles and measure the distance. Find the angle that gives the longest launch.
Look for patterns in your observations.
Make a graph or chart showing your results.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 3What causes an object to accelerate?
Where you see this in real life
You use this every time you flip a light switch, ride a bike, or kick a ball.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Time how long a small ball rolls down something, then change the slope and try again.
For the dinner table
“Show me something at home that uses this kind of energy.”
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
Share this experiment
Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
Checkout complete lesson on Forces for 7th Grade
Get the full Forces track as a printable PDF — all lessons, worksheets, and answer keys.