In relation to secondary properties of water, what completes the phrase: on land ____________ is the force pulled downward?

The concept of secondary properties of water highlights various physical phenomena related to water and its interactions with the environment. In this particular context, the phrase "on land ____________ is the force pulled downward" is completed accurately by the term gravity. Gravity is the fundamental force that pulls all objects toward the center of the Earth, including water itself. This force impacts how water behaves on land, influencing everything from the flow of rivers to the stability of soil.

Gravity is essential in understanding phenomena such as hydrostatic pressure, which specifically relates to the pressure exerted by a fluid at rest. While weight is the force exerted by gravity on an object, it doesn't fully encapsulate the broader concept as gravity does. Buoyancy refers to the upward force experienced by objects submerged in a fluid, which does not apply in this context of downward forces on land. Therefore, gravity is the most fitting term that describes the downward pull on objects, including water, contributing to understanding water's secondary properties.