What Is Gravity?
Why do things fall down?
Duration: 1:48
Why does a ball always come back down? Join our little explorer and discover gravity, the invisible pull all around us!
In short
When you throw a ball up in the air, it always comes back down, because of an invisible pull all around us called gravity. Gravity pulls everything down, toward the ground: apples fall from trees, rain falls from the clouds, and when you jump, gravity brings you back down. Gravity comes from the Earth: our planet is so big that it pulls everything toward its middle. That is why people all around the world stay on the ground, even on the other side of the Earth. Gravity is also what makes things feel heavy, like a backpack when you lift it. Gravity even holds the Moon close to the Earth, and keeps the Earth going around the Sun. Far out in space, away from planets, the pull is very weak, so astronauts float. On Earth, a ball falls fast, but a feather falls slowly, because the air pushes on it and slows it down.
What you will learn
- Gravity is an invisible pull that brings everything down toward the ground
- Why apples, rain, and you (when you jump!) always come back down
- Gravity comes from the Earth, which pulls everything toward its middle
- Why things feel heavy
- How gravity holds the Moon near the Earth, and keeps the Earth around the Sun
- Why astronauts float far out in space
- Why a feather falls more slowly than a ball
Let's talk about it
Questions to ask after watching, at home or in class. Tap a question to see a short answer.
Why does a ball you throw up always come back down?
Because gravity pulls it down, toward the ground.
Where does gravity come from?
From the Earth: it pulls everything toward its middle.
Why does a feather fall slowly?
Because the air pushes on it and slows it down.
What the narrator says
Everything the narrator says in the video, to read along, to practice English, or to use in class.
Read the full text
Hello again, little explorer! Today, we are going to play with a ball, and discover an invisible force!
When you throw a ball up in the air, it always comes back down. Why? What pulls it down? Let's find out!
Here is the secret. There is an invisible pull, all around us. It is called gravity!
Gravity pulls everything down, toward the ground. Apples fall from trees. Rain falls from the clouds. And when you jump, gravity brings you back down!
Gravity comes from the Earth. Our planet is so big that it pulls everything toward its middle.
That is why people all around the world stay on the ground, even on the other side of the Earth. Nobody falls off!
Gravity is also what makes things feel heavy. When you lift a backpack, you can feel gravity pulling it down.
Gravity even holds the Moon close to the Earth, and keeps the Earth going around the Sun!
Far out in space, away from planets, the pull is very weak, so astronauts float. Whee!
Now, let's drop a feather and a ball. The ball falls fast, but the feather falls slowly, because the air pushes on it and slows it down.
So now you know the secret! Gravity is an invisible pull that brings everything down, toward the ground.
What will you drop first, a feather or a ball? Great job, little explorer! See you next time, for a new adventure at Curious Kids Lab!
