Basic Details
Word: Gravitation
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: The pull that every object has on every other object; the force that makes things fall towards the Earth.
Synonyms: gravity, attraction, pull
How to Spell Gravitation
Syllables: grav - i - ta - tion
Tricky part: After grav comes an i, not an a or e, so students often write gravatation. The end is tion, not sion.
Watch out for: gravatation, gravitasion, gravetation
Memory tip: Gravity and gravitation share the same first six letters, g-r-a-v-i-t. Write gravit, then add ation.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Gravitation keeps the Moon moving round the Earth.
Example 2: Our science teacher explained gravitation by dropping a cricket ball from her desk.
Example 3: Astronauts on the space station still feel gravitation, but they float because they are always falling around the Earth.
Fun Fact
Isaac Newton described his law of universal gravitation in his book Principia, published in 1687.
Practise the CREST Way
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
tivaroigatn
a) gravitation
b) navigation
c) aggravation
d) gravitate
Show answer
a) gravitation. Only gravitation uses all eleven letters, with two t's and one o.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
grav_t_tion
a) e, a
b) a, a
c) i, i
d) i, a
Show answer
d) i, a. Think of gravity for the i, then the word carries on with ation.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the correctly spelt word:
a) satelite
b) atmosfere
c) constelation
d) gravitation
Show answer
d) gravitation. Satellite and constellation need a double l, and atmosphere is spelt with ph.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Gravitation is the force that ____.
a) makes iron rust
b) pushes objects away from each other
c) pulls objects towards each other
d) turns water into ice
Show answer
c) pulls objects towards each other
2. Which of these happens because of gravitation?
a) A torch lights up a dark room.
b) Sugar dissolves in tea.
c) A magnet picks up pins.
d) A ripe mango drops from the tree to the ground.
Show answer
d) A ripe mango drops from the tree to the ground.
