Question

gravitational forcereflect on the essentialquestions before you dive in...1. if you were quizzed today,which questions would youknow the answers toalready?evid2. which questions would youneed to learn more aboutto answer confidently?essential questions:1. what evidence do we have thatthe direction of earthsgravitational force is downward,toward the center of earth?2. is the force of gravity the same inall locations on earth?

Explanation:

1. For the reflection question 1:

• I would know the answer to Essential Question 1 confidently, as everyday observations (objects falling toward the ground, rain falling downward, dropped items moving toward Earth's surface) serve as direct evidence.
• I would need to learn more about Essential Question 2 to answer confidently, as gravity's strength varies slightly by location due to Earth's oblate shape and differences in local mass distribution.

1. For the essential questions:
2. Everyday observations like objects falling toward the ground, rain descending, and projectiles curving toward Earth show gravitational force pulls toward Earth's center (perceived as downward from our surface).
3. No, the force of gravity is not the same everywhere on Earth. It is slightly stronger at the poles (due to Earth's oblate shape, poles are closer to the core) and weaker at higher altitudes or over regions with lower crustal mass.

Answer:

1. Reflection Question 1:

• I would know the answer to Essential Question 1 already.
• I would need to learn more about Essential Question 2 to answer confidently.

1. Essential Questions:
2. Evidence includes all dropped objects falling toward Earth's surface (perceived as downward), rain falling to the ground, and the fact that satellites orbit Earth due to the pull toward its center.
3. No, the force of gravity is not the same in all locations on Earth. It varies based on distance from Earth's core, local geological mass, and altitude.