Jon Chase explains that the mass of an object is constant but its weight depends on the gravitational force.
This force is higher on more massive planets and he would weigh more on Jupiter than on Earth.
Jon uses a fairground ride to simulate the feeling of lower and higher gravitational forces. He explains that gravity is the force that keeps spacecraft and moons in orbit around planets and planets around stars.
Astronauts in the International Space Station experience weightlessness because they are in orbit and constantly falling towards Earth.
This short film is from the 大象传媒 series, Space Science Bites.
Teacher Notes
Discuss the difference between mass and weight.
Students could compare the weight of 1 kg mass on different planets.
The class could give their own examples of feeling lighter or heavier and describe the forces involved.
Introduce the idea of gravitational force causing lighter objects to orbit heavier ones, perhaps using concept cartoons or true/false statements.
Curriculum Notes
This short film will be relevant for teaching physics.
This topic appears in OCR, Edexcel, AQA, WJEC KS4/GCSE in England and Wales, CCEA GCSE in Northern Ireland and SQA National 4/5 in Scotland, and Cambridge IGCSE Physics.
More from Space Science Bites:
The life cycle of stars. video
Jon Chase explains how the dust and gas released from dying stars forms new stars and solar systems using a popular game and a rap.
Nuclear fusion in stars. video
Jon Chase explains the nuclear fusion that causes stars like our sun to give out enormous heat.
The Big Bang and red shift. video
Jon Chase explains the scale of the solar system and universe using simple demonstrations.
Spectroscopy and the composition of stars. video
Jon Chase demonstrates a spectrometer made from a cardboard tube and an old CD to people in a shopping centre.
Waves and communication. video
Jon Chase demonstrates how electromagnetic waves are used in communication using an infra-red remote control and an outside TV broadcast.
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