Gravitational Force (Weight)
Forces and Motion

Questions to probe understanding: gravity and space

Diagnostic Questions for 11-14 Supporting Physics Teaching

Testing understanding


What the activity is for

Use these questions to test the pupils' understanding, by discussion or individual completion.


What the activity is for

  • Printed copies of the questions


Support sheet


What happens during this activity

The answers are as follows:

Astronaut on the Moon: (a) false (b) true (c) false (d) false (e) false

Brick: a, d

Tennis ball: a, a, a

Resources

Download the support sheet / student worksheet for this activity.

Diagnostic questions for gravity and space
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Thinking About Teaching Collection

Gravity and space - Teaching approaches

A Teaching Approach is both a source of advice and an activity that respects both...

For 11-14 7 Resources

Other resources onGravitational Force (Weight)
Circular Motion
Forces and Motion IOP RESOURCES

You spin me right round

Ultracentrifuges are devices used to separate materials and can achieve accelerations of up to 1,000,000 times the...

Stories from Physics 11-14 14-16

Gravitational Force (Weight)
Forces and Motion

Water Fall

The water stays inside the cup despite the huge hole! The cup and the water are falling at the same rate due to gravity so...

Enrichment Activity 5-11 11-14

Gravitational Force (Weight)
Forces and Motion IOP RESOURCES

A brief history of the concepts of mass and weig...

The term ‘mass’ is derived from the Latin massa meaning a lump of dough or paste. In many ancient cultures, despite...

Stories from Physics 11-14 14-16

Misconceptions
RESEARCH REVIEW Forces and Motion

Many students think that moving an object higher from the Earth's surface increases the force of gravity acting on it

  • Number of Resources3
  • Number of References3
  • Number of Diagnostic Resources4
RESEARCH REVIEW Earth and Space

Some students think that there is no gravity on the Moon

  • Number of Resources1
  • Number of References1
  • Number of Diagnostic Resources4
RESEARCH REVIEW Forces and Motion

Many students think that an object beyond the Earth’s atmosphere (in space) does not experience a force of gravity

  • Number of Resources2
  • Number of References6
  • Number of Diagnostic Resources2
Gravitational Force (Weight)
is a feature of the Rigid Body Model
is a special case of Force
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