ELI5: How does gravity work?

Imagine you have a big trampoline. That's space.

Now, put a bowling ball in the middle. That's the Earth. See how it makes the trampoline dip down?

That dip is like gravity.

• Anything you put near the bowling ball will roll towards it. A marble, a toy car, even a crumb. That's because they are following the dip.
• The bigger the bowling ball (more massive), the bigger the dip (stronger gravity). A golf ball will make a smaller dip (less gravity).

• When you throw a ball up, it's like pushing it away from the bowling ball's dip. But the dip (gravity) pulls it back down!
• You don't float away from the Earth because the Earth is like a giant bowling ball making a huge dip! You are stuck in that dip.
• The Sun makes a bigger dip than the Earth, so the Earth (and all the other planets) roll around the Sun!