Name ____________________________________________

Use the site: http://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/science/virtual_labs/E25/E25.html

In this Virtual Lab you will investigate the relationship between mass, acceleration, and
force by experimenting with falling objects of various masses under a range of
gravitational conditions.

1. Click the arrow under Location 1 and select a planet to test. Click the arrow under Object 1
and select an object to test. Repeat with Location 2 using the SAME object.

2. Click the Drop button and observe the two objects as they fall. Click the Drop button again
to see them fall again. The lines following a falling object indicate the objects relative
position during each second of acceleration.

3. Using the mass and acceleration data displayed on the monitors, calculate the gravitational
force (weight) of both locations. (F = M X A) Record your results in the table.

4. Repeat the above steps two more times with other objects and locations. Click the Reset
button to clear the screen.

Acceleration Mass of Weight of

Test Location Object
(m/s2) Object (kg) Object (N)
1 Mercury

2 Venus

3 Earth

4 Moon

5 Mars

6 Jupiter
Questions:
1. How does the force of gravity affect an objects acceleration?

2. Describe what happens when 2 objects of different masses are dropped under the
same gravitational conditions.

3. What is weight?

4. What is mass?

5. How are weight and mass different?

6. Which location has the least amount of gravity? _____________________ How do

you know?

7. Which location has the greatest amount of gravity? ____________________ How

do you know?

8. What other conclusions were you able to draw from this activity?