Lesson 7 of 7 · Gravity
Experiment⭐ 30 XPFalling at the Same Rate
Falling at the Same Rate.
🎯 Your mission
Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.
⚡ The twist
Nature loves to surprise the careful watcher.
Mind = Blown
🔬 The more you look, the more nature shows you.
Make a hypothesis first
Before you start: write down what you think will happen, and why.
What You'll Learn
Drop a heavy ball and a light one together and they land together, because gravity gives every object the same acceleration. Only air resistance changes this, which is why a feather is the exception rather than the rule.
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- tennis ball
- golf ball
- paper
- metre rule
Safety First
- Drop from shoulder height over a clear floor with feet well back.
Steps
Read the explanation above and note the two key terms before you start.
Drop a tennis ball and a golf ball from the same height and record which lands first. Repeat with a flat sheet of paper, then the same sheet screwed into a ball, and explain the difference.
Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.
Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 2A heavy ball and a light ball dropped together will:
Where you see this in real life
This shows up in your everyday life more than you'd think.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Try one experiment in real life this week — even a tiny one.
For the dinner table
“What's the most surprising thing you learned today?”
Next Smart Experiment
We'll pick an experiment that matches exactly how you're thinking right now.
Share this experiment
Send it to a parent who's looking for a 10-minute kitchen science win.
Ready?
Falling at the Same Rate
Set it up. Test it. Be amazed.
Full screen — no distractions
Checkout complete lesson on Gravity for 5th Grade
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