What is gravity?

• A. The energy of motion.
• B. Energy stored by height.
• C. The attractive force between two objects.
• D. The force that resists motion through a medium.

Answer: (C)

Gravity is the attractive force between masses that pulls objects toward one another. This force acts at a distance, which is why things fall toward Earth and why planets orbit the Sun. It isn’t energy itself—kinetic energy is the energy of motion, and gravitational potential energy is the energy an object has due to its height. It’s also not the frictional force that resists motion through a medium like air. Near Earth’s surface, gravity gives objects weight and causes downward acceleration of about 9.8 m/s² when you release them.