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Mini Gravity Well 5/pk
Item #94-1386-05
$199.00
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Demo gravitational forces on a tabletop scale
The Mini Gravity Well is a tabletop gravity model designed to help students visualize gravitational fields and orbital motion. A 2⅓ ft stretchable lycra surface represents space-time, while rolling marbles model how objects move under the influence of gravity. Compact enough for small-group use, this hands-on system makes gravitational attraction and orbital paths visible and interactive in the classroom.
Why Teachers Love It
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Visualizes Curved Space-Time – The flexible lycra surface clearly shows how mass distorts space, helping students connect abstract gravitational models to physical motion.
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Interactive & Inquiry-Ready – Students can vary marble speed, mass placement, and release points to explore orbits, spirals, and gravitational interactions.
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Compact for Small-Group Learning – The 2⅓ ft diameter design fits easily on lab tables, making it ideal for stations, collaborative investigations, and STEM challenges.
Product Details
The Mini Gravity Well is designed for accessible, hands-on exploration of gravity and orbital mechanics.
Key Features:
- 2⅓ ft stretchable lycra surface
- Tabletop design for easy classroom use
- Supports rolling marble investigations
- Durable construction for repeated classroom use
Ideal For These Labs & Investigations
- Modeling gravitational fields
- Exploring orbital motion and elliptical paths
- Investigating centripetal motion concepts
- Demonstrating gravitational attraction qualitatively
- Comparing mass effects on curvature and motion
- STEM challenges involving orbital prediction
Perfect For
- Middle School Space Science
- High School Physics (CP, Honors, AP® Physics 1)
- Astronomy Units
- STEM & Engineering Courses
- Outreach & Demonstration Events
By making gravitational effects visible and dynamic, the Mini Gravity Well helps students build intuition about how mass influences motion—turning cosmic-scale physics into an engaging, hands-on classroom experience.
Product Specifications
What's Included
- 5 2⅓ ft Stretchable Lycra Surfaces
- 5 Mini Gravity Well Frames (not assembled)
- Clips
- 5 Heavy Masses
- 5 sets of Marbles
- Instructional Activity Guide
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Mini Gravity Well demonstrate?
The Mini Gravity Well models how mass curves space and influences motion, helping students visualize gravitational fields and orbital paths.How do students use the Mini Gravity Well?
Students place masses on the lycra surface to create curvature, then roll marbles to observe how their paths change due to the “warped” surface.What concepts can this model support?
It supports lessons on gravity, orbital motion, centripetal force, gravitational fields, and introductory space-time models.Is this a quantitative experiment?
The Mini Gravity Well is primarily a qualitative model designed to build conceptual understanding, though it can support measurement-based extensions and engineering challenges.How is the Mini Gravity Well different from the Standard Gravity Well?
The Mini Gravity Well features a smaller, 2⅓ ft tabletop design ideal for small-group investigations and lab stations. The Standard Gravity Well is larger, making it better suited for full-class demonstrations and larger-scale orbital modeling.What grade levels is it best for?
It works well for middle school space science, high school physics, astronomy units, STEM courses, and outreach demonstrations.
Warning: California Residents
WARNING: Cancer & Reproductive Harm — www.P65Warnings.ca.gov
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