Hands On: Gravity Demonstration
Big Idea
Gravity pulls all objects toward Earth. While objects may fall differently because of air resistance or how mass is spread out, gravity itself pulls on everything the same way.

What to Do

1. Paper Test
   • Hold the flat sheet of paper in one hand and the crumpled paper in the other.
   • Drop them at the same time from the same height.
   • Watch which one reaches the ground first.
2. Bottle Test
   • Hold the full bottle and the half-full bottle at the same height.
   • Drop them at the same time.
   • Observe how they fall.

What You’ll Notice

• The crumpled paper falls faster than the flat paper.
• The full and half-full bottles fall at the same time.

What’s Really Happening (Parent Explanation)
Gravity pulls both objects downward with the same force. The flat paper falls more slowly because air resistance pushes against it. When the paper is crumpled, there is less air pushing on it, so it falls faster.

With the bottles, air resistance affects them equally because they have the same shape. Even though one bottle has more mass, gravity pulls both bottles down at the same rate, so they land together.

Key Takeaway for Kids

• Gravity pulls everything toward Earth.
• Air resistance can change how things fall.
• Heavier objects do not fall faster just because they are heavier.

Optional Discussion Questions

• Why do you think the flat paper fell more slowly?
• What stayed the same about the two bottles?
• How did gravity affect all the objects the same way?
  
  

Why This Matters
This activity helps children understand that gravity is a force that acts on all objects, and that differences in falling speed are often caused by air resistance—not by gravity pulling harder on heavier things.