Developing Our Ideas
Activity 2: Testing Ideas about
Gravity
Unit 3
Cycle 3
Purpose
The purpose of this activity is to gather evidence for or against some ideas
about what causes gravity.
In this activity you will consider the following question:
What are possible causes for gravity?
We think …
In the last activity your class came up with several ideas about what causes
gravity. You and your class probably thought that these might be causes of
gravity:
•
•
•
The earth’s magnetic field
The rotation of the earth
Air pressure from the earth’s atmosphere
You will test these ideas in this activity. If your class thought of other ideas,
then your teacher may suggest how to explore them.
©2003 CIPS Project
297
Unit 3 Cycle 3
E x p l ore Your Ideas
The Air Pressure Experiment
Is gravity caused by air pressure from the earth’s atmosphere?
Your teacher will show you a video of an experiment that
was designed and conducted to test whether air pressure causes gravity.
After viewing the video, answer the following questions.
1. Write a paragraph to describe the experiment and its results.
2. Do you think gravity is caused by air pressure from the earth’s
atmosphere? Why or why not?
The Magnetic Experiment
Is gravity caused by the earth’s magnetic field?
(You should complete this section in about 10 minutes or
less!)
With your team, design and conduct a quick experiment to test whether
gravity is caused by the earth’s magnetic field.
3. Write a paragraph to describe your experiment and your results.
4. Do you think gravity is caused by the earth’s magnetic field? Why or
why not?
298
Activity 2: Testing Ideas about Gravity
The Rotation Experiment
Is gravity caused by the earth’s rotation?
(You should complete this section in about 10 minutes or less!)
With your team, design and conduct a quick experiment to test whether
gravity is caused by the earth’s rotation.
5. Write a paragraph to describe your experiment and your results.
6. Do you think gravity is caused by the earth’s rotation? Why or why not?
M ake Sense of Your Ideas
Participate in the class discussion of the experiments that you and your
class conducted.
Have you discovered yet what causes gravity? If not, what
have you eliminated as causes of gravity?
299
Unit 3 Cycle 3
300