An object experiences a force in a gravitational field because it has ___.
A compass needle swings toward a magnet. A stone drops. Two charged ribbons spring apart. No contact anywhere, and three different fields at work.
You have met three fields: magnetic, electric, and gravitational. Each acts on its own property. This lesson drills the sort: name the field behind a no-contact event.
Each field acts on one property. A magnetic field exerts its force on magnetic materials, and on other magnets. An electric field exerts its force on objects with charge. A gravitational field exerts its force on objects with mass.
The compass needle is a small magnet, so a magnetic field is responsible for its swing. The dropped stone's mass responded, so a gravitational field is responsible for its fall. The charged ribbons' charge responded, so an electric field is responsible for their spring apart.
A magnet drags a steel nut along a windowsill without touching it. Which field is responsible?
Ask which property responded:
Steel is a magnetic material, and a magnet is acting on it.
The property that responded is being magnetic.
A magnetic field is responsible.
A pear drops from a tree. Which field is responsible?
Ask which property responded:
The pear has mass, and its mass responded.
A gravitational field is responsible.
Now the drill: six events, the same question each time.
A hailstone falls from a cloud toward the ground. Which field is responsible?
A magnet pulls a steel thumbtack across a shelf. Which field is responsible?
Two charged pieces of plastic wrap spring apart. Which field is responsible?
A charged sock clings to a charged shirt from the dryer. Which field is responsible?
A magnet under a plastic lid steers a steel ball. Which field is responsible?
On the Moon, an astronaut's dropped glove falls to the ground. Which field is responsible?
Which pairing of event and field is correct?
A magnet steers a steel dart, and a charged wand pushes a charged confetti piece away. Which fields act, in that order?
Which event is caused by a gravitational field?