experiments on gravity

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

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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Science Fair Project Ideas for Kids, Middle & High School Students ⋅

Simple Gravity Experiments

Gravity affects everything around people.

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.

Ocean tide experiment, facts about gravity for kids, difference between gravity & friction, what is gravitational pull, how to calculate drag force, when is the moon's pull on earth the strongest, how to demonstrate newton's laws of motion, newton's laws of motion, how to build an easy catapult for kids, how the mass of an object affects its motion, how to calculate the mass of a moving object, how to explain gravity to a child, first grade lesson plans on force & motion, how to find velocity from mass & height, what causes tides in the ocean, what are some examples of the laws of motion, cool gravity experiments, how does newton's laws of motion interact with tennis.

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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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.

7 Preschool Science Experiments that Explore Gravity

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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Parachute Egg Drop Experiment – Gravity and Air Resistance

July 19, 2019 By Emma Vanstone 9 Comments

This fun parachute egg drop experiment is a great demonstration of the forces acting on parachutes. If you drop something, it falls to the ground. This is because it is pulled by the gravity of the Earth. You’ll notice that some things drop faster than others. This is because of air resistance . Try dropping a piece of paper and a lego brick. Which drops the fastest?

We are going to try dropping an egg on its own, dropping an egg attached to a parachute and an egg in a basket under a balloon.

Egg Drop Experiment

instructions for an egg drop parachute experiment

How to make an egg parachute

What you need to make a parachute.

Bin bag/ plastic sheet/paper or other flat material.
4 pieces of string
sellotape or masking tape
3 eggs ( we boiled ours )

Parachute Instructions

Lay the bin bag out flat and cut out a big square.
Make a hole in each corner, thread a piece of string through it and tie a knot.
Tie all 4 pieces of string together and sellotape the egg to the bottom

Make Your Own Air Balloon

Air balloon materials.

Cardboard made into a basket shape or a small plastic container
Balloon blown up
4 pieces of String

Air Balloon Instructions

Sellotape some string to your balloon and attach the basket.
Place the egg in the basket

Balloon parachute! Fun gravity experiment for kids - science for kids

Drop an egg on its own, the egg in the basket and the egg in the parachute from somewhere high up. Make sure an adult is around to help with this part.

Egg in a container for a parachute and egg experiment for kids

Gravity and Air Resistance Explained

If you tried dropping paper and a lego brick or similar, the paper should have dropped to the floor more slowly than the brick. This is because the paper has a larger surface area, so has to push against more air as it drops, which means the air resistance is greater, and it drops more slowly.

An egg dropped without anything to slow it down will fall fast and break; the parachute and balloon add air resistance, slowing the fall and stopping the egg from breaking.

We also found that the parachute fell much more slowly than the balloon. This is because the parachute has a larger surface area than the balloon, and so slows the descent of the egg more.

If we dropped a hammer and a feather, we would expect the hammer to fall fastest; however, if we did this on the moon where there is no air resistance, they would hit the ground at the same time!

How do Parachutes Work?

As we explained above, two forces act on an object as it falls. Gravity pulls the object down, and air resistance slows the fall.

Parachutes are used to slow the fall of an object by increasing air resistance which reduces the effect of gravity!

More parachute investigation Ideas

Record the time taken for all three to drop and see how much slower the parachute is.

Try our experiments you can make fly .

Experiment with different sizes of parachutes and see which drops more slowly.

Don’t forget to try our collection of easy ideas for learning about forces too.

In This IS Rocket Science we made parachutes with coffee filters which was great fun and you can experiment with different sizes and shapes.

Coffee Filter Parachute - children dropping a parachute made from a coffee filter

If you liked this science experiment you’ll LOVE my book This IS Rocket Science, which has 70 space themed science experiments for kids!

This post was originally published in 2011 and updated July 2019

Last Updated on March 14, 2023 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.

Reader Interactions

September 11, 2011 at 8:49 am

Fab. Really well explained!

September 14, 2011 at 10:11 pm

Thank you. xx

October 28, 2013 at 12:44 am

cool video but it didn’t answer my question

September 11, 2011 at 3:03 pm

You always make science fun!

September 14, 2011 at 10:10 pm

Thank you, we do try!

September 11, 2011 at 7:59 pm

That is cool. Did the egg break when you did that? Nevermind I saw the answer when I reread it.

THanks for linking up this week!

Thank you for hosting such a great link up. x

September 14, 2011 at 2:16 pm

Love how you make science fun and bring it into the home… Did you know I did Physics A-Levels? Well, this will come in handy with my kids! 🙂

Thanks for sharing on Kids Get Crafty!

June 10, 2016 at 9:08 am

This website is very good in my school all the year 5 used it to make a paacute for there topic ‘Wacky races’ thank you for making it

Hands-On Superhero Gravity for Kids

I teach a lot of science at school to young kids. They love learning about the world around them and gaining an understanding of how things work. I love finding ways to teach young children about big scientific concepts in a way that makes sense to them. Today our topic is gravity for kids!

I wanted to find some gravity experiments for kids that were science based, but also engaging. The children that I teach love talking about superheroes and had even been learning about them in class.

So, for science, I decided to mix our gravity lesson with their interest in superheroes. I used different superhero figures to show everyone a bit about gravity for kids!

There are only a few simple materials that you need for this gravity experiment. A link to purchase the materials is included at the bottom of this post.

Small Superhero Figures
Plastic Straws
String/Yarn/Fishing Line

I prepared the materials ahead of time because I needed to use hot glue.

Cut each straw to be roughly an inch, or a few centimeters.

I then put a line of glue on the superheroes back and stuck the straw down and made sure that it was secure. (As pictured)

Next, I threaded string through the straw. The string you use needs to be quite long, depending how far you want your superhero to fly. I made enough so that I could give each pair of children a superhero with a string attached.

I also kept one superhero for myself to use later for my gravity for kids demonstration. The string on my superhero was really long!

Once your materials are ready, you can start the experiment with children.

Gravity for Kids Experiment Steps

I like making experiments as hands-on as possible with kids. I find when children are given the opportunity to explore the materials and test them out on their own, they are more likely to remember and learn from the activity.

Start by pairing children up and giving each pair a superhero figure that is attached to a string. The string that I used for the children was only a few meters long.

I started by giving each pair a superhero figure that was attached to a string. Originally I used yarn (as pictured). However, I later changed it and used fishing line. There is less friction with the fishing line and the superhero ‘flew’ better.

In pairs I had each child hold one end of the string and move apart from each other so that the string was tight. They both started holding the string up as high as they could. One child then moved their end of the string down to the ground.

Children quickly noticed that their superhero would ‘fly’ when one end of the string was lifted higher than the other.

I then introduced the word gravity. Children noticed that their superhero would always slide down towards the ground.

They were encouraged to move the string up or down in an attempt to make their figure move, or ‘fly’.

I gave children some time to explore and experiment with their superheroes and trying to make them fly.

Whole Group Gravity for Kids Experiment

After partners experimented with their superhero, we then took did the experiment together.

Take one end of the long string that your superhero is attached to and move to a higher place. I climbed our playground equipment as children watched from below.

To add to the height, I tied one end of my string to a long stick so that I could lift the superhero even higher above my head.

As I stood at a higher point, I had a child at the bottom with the other end of the long string.

Based on their own experimenting with the string and superheroes, children all thought of a hypothesis for what they thought was going to happen when I let go of my superhero.

I used the stick to help easily raise the string to an even higher point. I then let go!

Because of gravity, the superhero “flew” down towards the children at the bottom. He glided from a higher, to lower point.

I then asked my volunteer at the bottom, holding the string, to send my superhero back up top to me. Despite several attempts, we all concluded that it was gravity that pulled our superhero down, but it would not help send it up.

This experiment serves as an easy introduction to gravity for young kids and a great way to get outside!

Gravity for Kids Extension Ideas

My students really enjoyed this activity and having a small superhero “fly” over them. I wanted to continue this enthusiasm and interest so there are a few extension activities you can try.

One thing that can make a difference with this experiment is the string or yarn you use. Thick, fuzzy yarn may cause a lot of friction and make your superhero not slide very well. You can compare yarn, wool, string and fishing line an any other material you have available to see which works best to help your superhero slide.

Testing out different strings could also teach kids about friction and the fact that although everything is pulled to the ground because of gravity different materials can play a role in the speed.

If you try out different strings you can also have some fun with it by racing the different superheroes. This way children will learn about gravity, but also friction. And the best part is, they will have fun as they are learning.

Although I did this experiment in a school setting, you can easily do it inside or outside at home. As long as one end of the string is higher children will clearly see that the superhero will slide down towards the ground, but never up.

That’s the basic idea that young children need to understand about gravity.

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81+ Science Experiments for Kids

Looking for more hands-on science experiments? Check out this collection of over 80 science experiments that you can try out today!

More Hands-On Teaching Ideas

Looking for more learning activities for kids at home or school? Below is a collection of my favourite, and most popular hands-on activities, from outdoor activities and building challenges to escape rooms and printables, I’ve got lots of ideas to keep kids busy and learning.

Easy Science Experiments for Kids: Gravity Activity with Paperclips

This easy science experiment is a fun way to demonstrate the concept of gravity to young children. You’ll just need a few supplies, including paperclips and magnets, to take part in this cool science activity!

This activity correlates with NGSS: Disciplinary Core Idea PS2.B.

Follow our Science for Kids Pinterest board!

Exploring gravity with young kids- 2 fun activities! ~ BuggyandBuddy.com

Here’s a fun way for young children to explore gravity. Kids will first observe how gravity is always pulling objects toward the Earth by using paperclips and string. Then the super cool part- children will use magnets to explore how gravity can easily be overcome by other forces- almost like defying gravity! (This post contains affiliate links.)

See it in Action!

Exploring gravity with young children.

Whenever I invite my kids to participate in science activities, my main goal is NOT for them to master a set concept, but simply to allow them to explore the activity in their own way. Giving this freedom to children inspires them to make predictions and critically think about the world around them in a pressure-free setting.

What exactly is gravity?

Gravity is a force that tries to pull two objects toward each other. Earth’s gravity is what keeps you on the ground, what causes objects to fall, and is why the objects fall down rather than up!

Materials for Gravity Experiment

Small dowel or stick
Strong magnets (Use either neodymium magnets .5 inch or bigger or ceramic magnets .75 inch or larger. Regular craft magnets won’t work.)
Metal ruler (or wooden ruler with tape)
Blocks, books, or other material for stacking

Important: Not only are small magnets choking hazards, but magnet ingestions pose a serious threat to the health of children. NEVER leave any child unattended with magnets. Never allow any child under 3 to use magnets.

Directions for Gravity Experiment

1. Start by tying some paperclips to pieces of string. Then tie the string onto a small dowel rod or stick.

2. Lift up the dowel rod so the paperclips hang from the string.

Which direction do the paperclips point?
What happens if you tilt the stick?

gravity experiment for preschoolers using string and paperclips

Theo was amazed to observe that no matter which way he tilted the stick or how steep an angle he tilted the stick, the paperclips always pointed right down at the ground!

gravity experiment using paperclips and string

We talked about how the Earth’s gravity is what holds us and other things to the ground. The paperclips are being pulled toward the Earth by gravity, but they can’t fall because the string is holding them in the air. No matter which way we tilted the dowel rod, the paperclips were still being pulled straight toward the Earth by gravity.

Next we explored how gravity can easily be overcome by other forces using magnets.

3. Place three magnets along a metal ruler . (If you’re using a wooden ruler, you can tape the magnets to the top.)

4. Suspend the ruler from two stacks of blocks, books, or other materials. Be sure the magnets are facing down.

defy gravity with magnets and paperclips

5. Take the paper clips and string off your dowel rod.

6. Take one paperclip and hold it until it’s just suspended below the first magnet. Tape the string in place onto the table (or whatever surface your activity is on). Do this with the other two paperclips.

7. After taping the strings in place below the magnets, remove the ruler and observe what happens. All the paperclips fall to the ground! We talked about why the paperclips were not going up into the air after we removed the magnets.

8. Put the ruler with magnets back above the paperclips. Slowly lift each paperclip toward each magnet until they are all suspended. The kids were very excited about this demonstration!

We talked about how the magnetic force between the paperclip and magnet were stronger than the pull of the Earth’s gravity on the paperclip, so the paperclip was able to remain in the air rather than fall back to the ground.

Lucy and I came up with other forces that seemed to defy gravity- like static electricity holding strands of hair straight up in the air or how the hot air in a hot-air balloon can lift people off the ground.

Want to go even further?

Even more activities about gravity to inspire creativity and critical thinking for various ages.

Use gravity to create this colorful art from Fun-a-Day!
Explore how air resistance affects gravity in this activity from Science Sparks.
Make some wooden ramps for toy cars and explore how different angles of the ramps affect the acceleration of the cars.
Some children’s books about gravity: Gravity is a Mystery , The Day Katie McAvity Turned Off Gravity

All activities on Buggy and Buddy are activities I feel are safe for my own children. Contact your child’s pediatrician for guidance if you are not sure about the safety/age appropriateness of an activity. Never leave your child unattended. The author and blog disclaim liability for any damage, mishap, or injury that may occur from engaging in any of these activities on this blog.

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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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3 Unique Gravity Experiments to Try with Your Kids

Simply put, gravity is the force of the earth that pulls objects towards its core, preventing them from floating off into space. For many adults, explaining the concept of gravity to a child can seem daunting. However, through the use of the following gravity experiments for kids, children will gain a better grasp of gravity’s role in our everyday lives while also having some fun!

Paperclip Gravity Experiment

Most gravity experiments don’t require many materials. For this experiment you’ll use:

Paper clips

First, tie one end of a piece of string to a paperclip and tie the other end around the stick. Repeat twice more so that the stick has three paper clips attached. Hold the stick up in the air, allowing the paperclips hang freely. Tilt the stick back and forth.

As is demonstrated, Earth’s gravity is continuously pulling our bodies and the objects around us to its core. Even when the stick is tilted, Earth’s gravitational pull exerts its force on the paper clips pulling them straight down toward the Earth.

Gravity Water Drop

This next experiment requires just three items:

A paper cup

On the outside of the cup near the bottom, poke a hole using a pencil. Placing a finger over the hole, fill the cup with water. Remove your finger from the hole. You should find that the water flows out of the cup in an even, steady stream (if the water is not quite flowing smoothly, try poking a new hole and refill the cup with water). Next, holding your finger over the hole, fill the cup once again with water. Drop the cup, removing your finger from the hole at the same time. You’ll find that as the cup falls, no water flows out of the hole.

When you first held the cup in the air and removed your finger, gravity pulled the water down towards the ground and water pressure forced it out of the hole. However, when the cup and water fell at the same speed, there is no water pressure. Without this force, the water remains inside the cup as gravity pulls both to the ground.

Galileo’s Experiment

A sturdy chair
Various household items

Gather items of differing weights and sizes, such as a ball, action figure or doll, and a balloon. Have your child stand on top of the chair while holding the items. One at a time, have your child drop each item from the same height. Keep track of how long it takes each item to reach the ground.

Though many believe that larger, heavier items will hit the ground first, this is not true. The rate of Earth’s gravitational pull on all objects is the same regardless of weight. Given the absence of air resistance, each object should reach the floor at the same time. Do your finding support this?

Testing the laws of gravity (or defying them !) can be done in a variety of hands-on, entertaining ways around the house and at school. Experiments for kids like those above are a great way to get kids learning and asking important questions about the world around them.

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Gravity Activities For Middle School: Experiments, Puzzles, Challenges, And Investigation

January 28, 2024 // by Cassie Caroll

The concept of gravity becomes much more accessible through hands-on materials and activities. When your student is ready to learn about gravitational forces, the laws of motion, and air resistance, an engaging demonstration of these abstract ideas can make instruction that much more effective. With some simple materials, you can recreate these demonstrations of gravity in the comfort of your own home. Here are some of our favorite gravity activities that are instructive, entertaining, and user-friendly!

Center of Gravity Activities

1. center of gravity experiment.

Jumpstart your learner by challenging them to a seemingly impossible challenge: balancing a craft stick on top of a chopstick. For this activity, you’ll need a couple of clothespins, a chopstick, a craft stick, and some pipe cleaner. By the end, your student will begin to visualize the center of gravity.

Learn More: Rookie Parenting

2. Gravity Puzzle

We’ll admit, at first this activity seems far more complex than necessary. To simplify the setup process, start the gravity puzzle video at 2:53 for easier design. This experiment with a balance point and center of gravity will quickly become a favorite magic trick, too!

Learn More: YouTube

3. Uncanny Cancan

Ever seen a soda can do ballet? Now is your chance with this center of gravity lab! We love this activity because it can be as quick or lengthy as you’d like depending on the number of trials you perform, and all you need is an empty can and some water!

Learn More: ABC

Velocity and Free Fall Activities

4. falling rhythm.

This experiment is relatively simple in execution, but more complex in analysis. As your learner listens to the rhythm of the falling weights, consider contextualizing their observations with the basic ideas of velocity, distance vs. time, and acceleration.

Learn More: Exploratorium

5. Egg Drop Soup

This egg drop trick is another experiment that can begin with a challenge: how do you drop an egg into a glass of water without touching either one? This demonstration gives learners the chance to better understand balanced and unbalanced forces in action.

Learn More: Generation Genius

6. Origami Science

Understanding the balance between gravity and air resistance can be quite simple with some simple materials and a bit of origami. This activity lends itself well to opportunities to make a claim with evidence as you modify your origami drop.

Learn More: Little Bins for Little Hands

Gravitational Phenomenon Demonstrations

7. gravity defiance.

Although this experiment is demonstrated with younger children, this can be an excellent lesson opener to introduce the role of gravity and gravitational pull. Challenge your student to experiment with distance and magnetic strength by trying different positioning of the magnet and clips!

Learn More: Buggy and Buddy

8. Air Pressure and Water Weight

To demonstrate the concept of air pressure, all you need is a glass of water and a piece of paper! We especially love how this resource provides a thorough lesson plan and a Powerpoint with notes to complement the experiment.

Learn More: Cool Science Experiments HQ

9. $20 Challenge

We promise, no money will be lost in this experiment. But if you’d like to play it safe, you can always make it a $1 challenge! Test your students’ dexterity and patience with this fun experiment in gravitational pull.

Learn More: Thirteen

10. Centripetal Force Fun

This engaging video shows multiple gravity-defying experiments to try, but our favorite begins at minute 4:15. By swinging your cup or bottle at a constant rate, the water will remain in the vessel, seemingly defying gravity! Nanogirl’s explanation helps contextualize this phenomenon for your learner.

Learn More: Nanogirl STEM Activities for Kids

Gravity on Earth and Beyond Activities

11. out of this world gravity investigation.

Help your learner get a grip on gravity by walking them through this gravitational exploration of the greater solar system. This activity provides the procedure, worksheets, and recommended extensions and modifications. In conjunction, have your student take a virtual tour of the ISS to build some background knowledge.

Learn More: ESA Multimedia and CASIS Academy

12. Build a Model for Gravity in Space

When viewing a diagram of our solar system, it is easy to view the planets as mere distant objects, however, this demonstration allows students to better understand the definition of gravity as it pertains to our galaxy. Grab some chairs, billiard balls, and some stretchy material, for this rewarding demonstration!

Learn More: iTeachly

13. Elevator Ride to Space

Far from Willy Wonka’s glass elevator, our everyday elevators are excellent demonstrations of gravitational interactions. This activity allows learners to better understand how the effects of gravity become seemingly aberrant in space without leaving Earth! We recommend bringing along a towel in case of any spillage!

Learn More: Education

14. “Rocket” Science

I guess this hands-on gravitational force activity is indeed “rocket science!” This rocket-building experiment works with chemical reactions, increases in velocity, rate of acceleration, and the laws of motion. We recommend this project as either a concluding activity or an extension into more complex concepts.

Learn More: Ward’s World

15. Magnetic Learning

Need a quick opener or closer to a lesson? This gravity and magnetism activity can be a fun demonstration of magnetic fields and gravitational force. Be sure to read the notes in this activity to extend this experiment in different ways.

Teach Kids About Center of Gravity

Posted by Allen Douglas / in Physics Experiments

This simple experiment which is very easy to make teaches kids about the concept of center of gravity. All objects that have mass, also have a center of gravity. In sports, announcers talk about center of gravity when they want to discuss balance. This experiments demonstrates balance and center of gravity in a fun way.

Items Needed for Experiment

Armature wire or coat hanger wire
wood pencil
metal washers
wire cutter

EXPERIMENT STEPS

Step 1: Find the materials needed for the experiment. We used a thin aluminum armature wire for the experiment wire. It is very light (which helps with distributing loads), it bends very easy but it holds its shape extremely well. Places like Hobby Lobby or Amazon carry this type of wire. It is typically used by sculptors who use it in large sculptures so it holds its shape. Wire from an old coat hanger also works, but it will be more difficult for the kids to shape the wire.

Materials needed for the center of gravity experiment.

Step 2. Have the kids take the pencil and try to balance it on their finger. If they place their finger in the middle of the pencil, they be able to balance the pencil laying horizontally. Now have them try to balance the pencil vertically on the tip of their finger. Is this possible?

Step 3. Cut a length of of wire that is slightly longer than the pencil. Adults, must help with this step or have the wire pre-cut for kids.

Step 4. Wrap the wire around the pencil several times, near the center of the wire to secure it in place.

Step 5. Attach several metal washers to the wire at each end. Wrap the wire through the center of the washers to secure them in place.

Step 6. Try to balance the pencil on top the edge of a table or on the tip of your finger. Keep in mind that you will need a low center of gravity to make the pencil balance.

By lowering the washer weights below the point of balance, it is easy to balance the pencil from its tip on a very small object, in this case the end of a pair of pliers. It is also easy to balance vertically on the tip of a finger.

Step 7. Try to balance the pencil on other objects by moving around the wire and weights. The pencil appears to defy gravity. Try balancing the pencil on the flat ground by spreading out the wires and lowering the weights to lower the center of gravity. Can you balance the pencil vertically on flat ground?

The pencil appears to defy gravity by moving around the wires and washer weights to change the objects center of gravity.

SCIENCE LEARNED

Every object with mass has a center of gravity. Think of the object's center of gravity this way. If you were to place a pin directly in the object's center of gravity and spin it, it would spin without wobbling. Calculating a center of gravity is used in practice by engineers when calculating forces on objects and when calculating the moment of inertia of a structural member.

When the kids try to balance the pencil horizontally on their finger, it may take a few tries, but it is not very difficult. When they try to balance the pencil vertically, it is easy to see it is impossible.

With the weights of the washers, it is easy to move around the object's center of gravity. This allows us to balance the pencil in many ways that seem to defy gravity itself. Think of hanging a V-shaped object from a wire. This is similar to the pencil with wires hanging down to its sides. It is easy to balance. When the kids tried to do the same thing on flat ground, they probably thought it was possible. Many of the kids may have been very close, but were not quite able to balance the pencil. On flat ground, we are not able to lower the center of gravity below the tip of the pencil, so it becomes nearly impossible to balance. We can get close, but the center of gravity is still above the resting point so there is a moment force making the object tip. Going back to the V-shape object and the wire analogy, take the same V-shaped object and bend it slightly upward and try to balance it on a wire. It is impossible!

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Uf scientist makes history by rocketing to space to conduct experiment on blue origin mission, 11-minute flight test allowed researcher to study how gravity changes affect plant biology.

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University of Florida scientist Rob Ferl conducted his experiment in space as part of the Blue Origin New Shepard mission.

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Nasa makes discovery ‘as important as gravity’ about Earth

A new planet-wide electric field that is as fundamental to Earth as gravity has been discovered in a major scientific breakthrough.

The ambipolar electric field, which begins 150 miles above the planet, has been described as a “great invisible force” that lifts up the sky and is responsible for the polar winds.

The polar winds interact with the jet streams to help drive the majority of weather patterns across the globe.

Until now, the field had only been theorised, but a Nasa team, which includes scientists from the University of Leicester, has now sent a rocket into the field and measured it for the first time.

It means Earth now has three energy fields: gravity; the magnetic field , which shields the planet from cosmic radiation; and the ambipolar electric field.

Dr Glyn Collinson, the principal investigator of the Endurance Mission at Nasa Goddard Space Flight Centre in Greenbelt, Maryland, said: “Whenever spacecraft have flown over the poles of the Earth they have felt this supersonic wind of particles called the polar wind.

“There must be some invisible force lurking there responsible for this outflow, but we’ve never been able to measure it because we didn’t have the technology.

“This field is so fundamental to understanding the way the planet works. It’s been here since the beginning alongside gravity and magnetism. It’s been wafting particles to space and stretching up the sky since the beginning.”

The field has been hard to detect because it is extremely weak, just 0.55 volts. But it is enough to nearly treble the scale height of the ionosphere – part of the upper atmosphere that sits between 30 and 600 miles above sea level. The scale height describes how quickly the atmosphere fades away, meaning the ionosphere remains denser at greater heights than it would without it.

“Despite being weak it’s incredibly important, it counters gravity and it lifts the skies up. It’s like this conveyor belt, lifting the atmosphere up into space,” added Dr Collinson.

“A half a volt is almost nothing – it’s only about as strong as a watch battery. But that’s just the right amount to explain the polar wind.”

Understanding the atmosphere is crucial to the evolution of Earth and could help scientists spot other planets that could be habitable. The team believes that any planet with an atmosphere is likely to have an ambipolar field.

To launch into the ambipolar electric field, scientists needed to travel to the world’s most northerly launch pad, on the site of Ny-Alesund in Svalbard, Norway, just a few hundred miles from the North Pole.

The mission, which began in 2016, was named Endurance after the ship that carried Ernest Shackleton on his voyage to Antarctica in 1914.

Prof Suzie Imber, a space physicist at the University of Leicester, and co-author of the paper, said: “Svalbard hosts the only rocket range in the world where you can fly through the polar wind and make the measurements we needed.”

The team found that hydrogen ions, the most abundant type of particle in the polar wind, experience an outward force from this field, which is 10.6 times stronger than gravity.

Alex Glocer, the Endurance project scientist at Nasa Goddard and co-author of the paper, said: “That’s more than enough to counter gravity – in fact, it’s enough to launch them upwards into space at supersonic speeds.”

The discovery of the field was announced in the journal Nature.

Dr Collinson added: “What makes Earth the special place that we all call home? One of the reasons may be to do with the energy fields that our planet creates.

“One of them is gravity. It’s important for life because it’s holding our atmosphere up. The second field is the magnetic field that’s protecting our planet from the stream of particles that comes from the sun

“Our rocket has discovered, and finally measured, number three. Now that we’ve finally measured it, we can begin learning how it’s shaped our planet as well as others over time.”

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COMMENTS

Gravity Experiments for Kids
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Top 10 Gravity Experiments: Fun & Easy
These hands-on activities and experiments will help you grasp the fundamental principles of gravity. Suitable for different age groups.
Science Experiments for Kids: Learning About Gravity
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 ...
27 Gravity Activities For Elementary Students: Experiments And
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 …
Simple Gravity Experiments
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.
Falling for Gravity: Physics & Mathematics Science Activity
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.
15+ Preschool Science Experiments that Explore Gravity
Explore gravity with these 7 fun preschool science experiments! Activities that include pushing, throwing, and falling - all hands-on and fun!
Parachute Egg Drop Experiment
Set up a parachute egg drop experiment to investigate the forces acting on a parachute. Great experiment for demonstrating gravity and air resistance.
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This experiment about gravity for kids, is exciting and hands-on! Use Superheroes to help kids learn that what goes up must come down.
Easy Science Experiments for Kids: Gravity Activity with Paperclips
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Gravity for Kids: Experiments & Activities
Help your students learn about gravity with these fun and educational experiments. You can read this article to find step-by-step instructions for...
Gravity Force Lab
Visualize the gravitational force that two objects exert on each other. Adjust properties of the objects to see how changing the properties affects the gravitational attraction.
Gravity For Kids Fun, Clear Explanation With Pictures & Video
Facts and information about gravity for kids & young adults. A clear, easy to understand explanation of gravity, including discoveries by Galileo & Newton.
Gravity Activities For Middle School: Experiments, Puzzles, Challenges
The concept of gravity becomes much more accessible through hands-on materials and activities. When your student is ready to learn about gravitational forces, the laws of motion, and air resistance, an engaging demonstration of these abstract ideas can make instruction that much more effective. With some simple materials, you can recreate these demonstrations of gravity …
Physics Center of Gravity Experiment
This simple experiment which is very easy to make teaches kids about the concept of center of gravity. All objects that have mass, also have a center of gravity. In sports, announcers talk about center of gravity when they want to discuss balance. This experiments demonstrates balance and center of gravity in a fun way.
Galileo's Famous Gravity Experiment
We know what happens, but that doesn't stop it from being awesome, especially with the team's ecstatic faces. full-length experiment: • Brian Cox visits the world's biggest ...
Galileo's famous gravity experiment holds up, even with atoms
Galileo's famous gravity experiment holds up, even with individual atoms. Individual atoms fall at the same rate due to gravity, scientists report, reaffirming a concept called the equivalence ...
Gravity-Defying Water
Introduction Can you turn a cup of water upside-down without the water pouring out? Sounds impossible, right? This project will show you how you can do it using a neat physics trick! This activity is not recommended for use as a science fair project. Good science fair projects have a stronger focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data. To find a science ...
Science at Home: Gravity-defying Water Experiment
Science at Home: Gravity-defying Water Experiment North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences 14.8K subscribers Subscribed 453 53K views 3 years ago Science at Home
Galileo's Leaning Tower of Pisa experiment
According to the story, Galileo discovered through this experiment that the objects fell with the same acceleration, proving his prediction true, while at the same time disproving Aristotle 's theory of gravity (which states that objects fall at speed proportional to their mass). Most historians consider it to have been a thought experiment rather than a physical test. [ 6]
Experiments on Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage with ...
Summary. The problems of oil/steam ratio (OSR) and oil production decline are prominent during the middle/later stages of steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) in superheavy oil reservoirs. Using noncondensable gas (NCG) by SAGD can reduce heat loss to the overburden and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. However, to date, laboratory experiments have mainly been conducted to simulate NCG ...
UF scientist makes history by rocketing to space to conduct experiment
UF scientist makes history by rocketing to space to conduct experiment on Blue Origin mission 11-minute flight test allowed researcher to study how gravity changes affect plant biology
New Experiment Could Solve One of Physics' Biggest ...
New Experiment Could Solve One of Physics' Biggest Mysteries: The Graviton. Scientists may now finally have a way to prove gravitons — the force carriers of gravity — exist.
Nasa makes discovery 'as important as gravity' about Earth
It means Earth now has three energy fields: gravity; the magnetic field, which shields the planet from cosmic radiation; and the ambipolar electric field. Dr Glyn Collinson, ...