SC.3.E.5.4 Gravity is a Force That Can be Overcome
SC.3E.5.4 Explore the Law of Gravity by demonstrating that gravity is a force that can be overcome.
Can Gravity be Overcome?
Think of all the games you could play with the balls in this picture. You might play basketball. You might play soccer, or kickball. You might just pick up a ball and toss it in the air and catch it.
All of these balls are resting on the ground. They aren’t moving. Gravity is the force that pulls the balls down to the ground. Gravity is always pulling the balls down: it never stops acting on objects. If you want to play a game with a ball, you need to pick it up. When you use your muscles to pick up a ball you can lift it up. The ball might not weigh much, but it weighs something. Weight is the force of gravity pulling on an object.
When you pick the ball up, you overcome the force of gravity. To overcome the force of gravity, you have to lift harder than gravity is pulling. If you want to shot the basketball at the net, you have to push harder than gravity will pull the ball back down. At some point gravity will take over again, and pull the ball down again. Hopefully through the net!
Gravity is the force that pulls all objects down toward the center of the earth. Gravity can be overcome by using another force acting in the opposite direction.
We use the energy of our muscles to create pushes and pulls to overcome gravity. The next time you are out on the playground, get on the swing set and think about all of the pushes and pulls you use to swing. Think about the pull of gravity as you are sitting on the swing without moving. Think about how leaning back and pulling on the chains causes motion. The higher your get, think about how you can feel gravity pulling you back down. Gravity is always pulling you down toward the center of the Earth. Your body is always using pushes and pulls to overcome gravity. Even sitting in a chair, your muscles are acting to balance your body. That’s one of the reasons it feels so good to sink into the bed every night: you can just relax and let gravity do the work!
