What force pulls objects toward Earth?

What force pulls objects toward Earth?

• A. Gravitation
• B. Inertia
• C. Gravity
• D. Acceleration

Answer: (C)

Gravity is the force that Earth exerts to pull objects toward its center. It’s why things fall when you drop them and why objects have weight—their weight is the pull of gravity on them. Gravity acts on all masses, and near Earth’s surface it causes objects to accelerate downward at about 9.8 m/s^2. Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its motion, so it’s about motion itself, not a pulling force. Acceleration describes how quickly velocity changes, which can be caused by gravity but is not a force. Gravitation is a broader term for the attraction between masses and the laws describing it; in everyday language, the specific force pulling objects toward Earth is called gravity.

Gravity is the force that Earth exerts to pull objects toward its center. It’s why things fall when you drop them and why objects have weight—their weight is the pull of gravity on them. Gravity acts on all masses, and near Earth’s surface it causes objects to accelerate downward at about 9.8 m/s^2.

Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its motion, so it’s about motion itself, not a pulling force. Acceleration describes how quickly velocity changes, which can be caused by gravity but is not a force. Gravitation is a broader term for the attraction between masses and the laws describing it; in everyday language, the specific force pulling objects toward Earth is called gravity.