The ball thrown up in the air is affected by gravitational force, but it's not the force itself.

Here's why:

* Gravitational force is the force of attraction between any two objects with mass. In this case, it's the force of attraction between the Earth and the ball.

* The ball thrown up in the air is an object experiencing this force. The force of gravity is what pulls the ball back down to the Earth.

Think of it this way:

* Gravitational force is like a magnet attracting the ball.

* The ball is the object being pulled by the magnet.

So, while the ball is affected by gravitational force, it isn't the force itself.