This is a likely outcome for a system that starts out with matter in orbit around a star going in random directions. Planets in our Solar System all go in the same direction around the Sun. Place a heavy ball on the gravity well and roll the ping pong ball again.Įxperiment by using a heavier ball to represent a more massive object. Gravity is a force that can cause objects to travel in curved lines, and the stronger the gravity, the more strongly objects are pulled off of the straight line trajectory.ĭemonstrate how a massive object exerts a force that affects the motion of nearby objects by rolling a ping pong ball across a gravity well. The gravity pulling towards the Sun keeps the planets in our Solar System in their orbits. Gravity is a force that can cause objects to travel in curved lines, and the stronger the gravity, the more strongly objects are pulled off the straight line trajectory. Newton’s first law states that an object will travel in a straight line at a constant speed unless a force is applied. To sort and annotate these resources for later reference, log in and use our collections tool.īackground image acknowledgement: julvil,123RF Ltd. Click on the labels for background information, demonstration videos and links to related content.įor additional information, see the article The gravity well – a physics analogy. This interactive displays some of the simulations that can be demonstrated with a gravity well.

Gravity as curved space activity