What is acceleration?

What is mass?
What is force?

When the ball is release, the ball will

reach the ground. Why?

2.8 Understanding
Gravity

Explain

and determine the value of acceleration due to gravity

Define gravitational field and gravitational strength
Define weight
Solve problems involving acceleration due to gravity

To study the relationship between acceleration

of an object and mass
Material :
Water bottle (2)

Both objects reach the bottom at the

same time

Conclusion
The acceleration of an objects does not
depend on the mass

Definition: Acceleration of an object due to the pull of the

gravitational force only.
The value of acceleration due to gravity, g is
9.8 ms-2

An object is falls freely under the influence of gravitational

force only

Definition: Region in which an object

experiences a force due to gravitational
attraction
Any massive object that enters this field
will experience a force of attraction
This field will get weaker the further
you go out from the centre of earth

Earth: half size

GRAVITATIONAL FIELD

Earth:HalfSize

Gravitational field strength is defined as the

gravitational force per unit mass

F
g
m

Nkg 1
kg

Gravitational field strength of the earth is

9.8 N kg-1
Gravitational field strength of moon is
1.6 N kg-1

A ball falls vertically a distance of 125 m

to the ground. Using g = 9.8 ms-2 ;
calculate:

a) Time

the ball takes to fall the first 25m

b)Time the ball takes to reach the ground
c) The velocity of ball before it hits the
ground

Define: Gravitational force acting on a

body

W mg

Where mass is m and g is gravitational

field strength or the acceleration due to
gravity
Unit = N

What is Alis weight on the earth and moon if

its mass is 70kg?
Use g earth = 9.8 ms-2 and g moon = 1.6 ms-2

Question time

1
3

2
4

Question 1
Our bodies are pulled
down to the earth's
surface by
A.Newtons
B.Weight
C.Gravity

Question 2

Object with different mass

have acceleration
due to gravity
A.Difference
B.Same
C.Zero

Question 3
Value of acceleration
due to gravity on earth
is 9.8 ms-1
A.True
B.False

Question 4

If an object fall with an

acceleration due to gravity, the
velocity of the object must
A.Be constant
B.Continuously change by the
same amount each second
C.Continuously change by varying
amount each second
D.Continuously decrease

Acceleration due to gravity is the acceleration of

an object due to the pull of the gravitational force
Gravitational field is the region in which an
object experiences a force due to gravitational
attraction
Free fall is an object falls under the influence of
gravitational force only
Gravitational field strength is the gravitational
force per unit mass
Weight is the gravitational force acting on a body