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Which Way Is Down? is a free printable Grade 5 science worksheet on arguing that Earth's gravitational force on objects is directed down, aligned to Common Core standard 5-PS2-1. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two pupils in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 4 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Which Way Is Down?

5-PS2-1

NameDate

Circle the best answer.

1.A ball thrown upwards slows, stops and falls. What does that show about gravity?
  • A.Gravity switches on at the top
  • B.Gravity pushed it up
  • C.It pulls downwards the whole time, even while the ball rises
2.'Down' in Britain and 'down' in Australia point opposite ways in space. What does that suggest?
  • A.Down means towards the centre of the Earth
  • B.Gravity works differently there
  • C.One of them is wrong
3.A helium balloon rises. How does that fit the argument?
  • A.Gravity still pulls it down; the surrounding air pushes it up harder
  • B.It disproves gravity
  • C.Gravity does not act on gases
4.Why does a book on a table not fall?
  • A.Gravity does not act on it
  • B.The table pushes up with a force balancing gravity
  • C.The book is too heavy
5.What would count as evidence against 'gravity pulls down'?
  • A.An unsupported object falling upwards or sideways with no other force
  • B.A balloon rising
  • C.A thrown ball going up
6.A ball is dropped, thrown up and rolled off a table. Which way does gravity pull each?
  • A.Down, in every case
  • B.Sideways for the rolled one
  • C.The way it was thrown
7.What evidence supports the argument that Earth pulls objects down?
  • A.Every unsupported object falls towards the ground, whatever it is
  • B.Heavy things feel heavy
  • C.Air pushes things down
8.A feather and a stone fall at different speeds in air. Does that disprove the argument?
  • A.Yes, gravity ignores feathers
  • B.No, air resistance slows the feather; both are still pulled down
  • C.Yes, only heavy things are pulled

LessonPrint · 5-PS2-1 · Set 4 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Which Way Is Down?

Set 4. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.It pulls downwards the whole time, even while the ball rises
  2. 2.Down means towards the centre of the Earth
  3. 3.Gravity still pulls it down; the surrounding air pushes it up harder
  4. 4.The table pushes up with a force balancing gravity
  5. 5.An unsupported object falling upwards or sideways with no other force
  6. 6.Down, in every case
  7. 7.Every unsupported object falls towards the ground, whatever it is
  8. 8.No, air resistance slows the feather; both are still pulled down

More practice for 5-PS2-1

Argue that Earth's gravity pulls objects downward.

Teaching this next? Which Way Is Down? is the 60-minute plan for it, with the misconceptions to expect.

All Grade 5 worksheets

Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to 5-PS2-1 of the Next Generation Science Standards.