Students wonder how the mass of a bowling ball affects the gravitational force between the ball and Earth.

Question

Which action will best help the students investigate?

A. Make a prediction about the effect of distance on the gravitational force between two objects.

B. Use Newton's law of universal gravitation to calculate the acceleration due to gravity on Earth.

C. Write a conclusion about the difference between the mass of bowling balls and other common objects.

D. Measure the masses of several bowling balls using a balance and measure the weights using a spring scale.

Answer 1

The action that will best help the students investigate how the mass of a bowling ball affects the gravitational force between the ball and Earth is:

D. Measure the masses of several bowling balls using a balance and measure the weights using a spring scale.

This approach allows the students to obtain empirical data on the mass and weight of the bowling balls, which are directly related to the gravitational force experienced. By measuring the weight (which is the force due to gravity) and the mass of the bowling balls, they can analyze the relationship between mass and gravitational force, aligning with their inquiry about the effect of mass on gravitational interaction.