GRAVITATION
Exercise 1. How does the force of gravitation between two objects change when the distance
between them is reduced to half ?
Step 1: Given Data
Let the initial distance be r
Final distance =r/2
Let the mass of the two objects be m1 and m2.
Universal gravitation constant = G
Step 2: Formula used
According to Newton's law of Gravitation F=G m1m2/r2
Step 3: Change is Gravitational Force
According to Newton's law of Gravitation,
Initial force F=G m1m2/r2
Therefore, the final force F=G m1m2/(r/2)2
=4G m1m2/r2
=4F
Hence, when the distance between the objects is reduced to half, the gravitational force
increases four times.
2. Gravitational force acts on all objects in proportion to their masses. Why then,
a heavy object does not fall faster than a light object?
Gravitational force acts on all objects in proportion to their masses. But a heavy
object does not fall faster than a light object.
This is because of the reason that
Acceleration=Force/Mass
Or
Force=Acceleration×Mass
As force is directly proportional to mass, acceleration is constant for a body of any
mass.
Exercise 3. What is the magnitude of the gravitational force between the
earth and a 1 kg object on its surface? (Mass of the earth is 6 × 1024 kg and
radius of the earth is 6.4 × 10 6 m.)
Solution
Given that,
Mass of the body, m = 1 kg
Mass of the Earth,
M=6×1024kg
Radius of the Earth,
R=6.4×106 m
From the universal law of gravitation, the magnitude of the gravitational force
(F) between the earth and the body is given by,
F=GM×m/R2
where
G=6.67×10−11 Nm2/kg2 is the universal gravitational constant.
Hence, magnitude of the gravitational force (F) between the earth and the
body is given by,
F=GM×m/R2
=6.67×10−11×6×1024×1/(6.4×106)2
= 9.77 N = 9.8 N (approx).
Exercise 4. The earth and the moon are attracted to each
other by gravitational force. Does the earth attract
the moon with a force that is greater or smaller or the same
as the force with which the moon attracts the earth? Why?
1. The earth and the moon attract each other by equal forces of
attraction but these forces are opposite in direction.
2. By the universal law of gravitation, the force between the earth and
moon will be proportional to the product of both of their masses and
inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
3. This is the force by which earth attracts the moon and the moon
attracts the earth exactly by the same force. As the value of force is the
same thus, the earth attracts the moon and the moon attracts the earth
equally.
Hence, the force of attraction between them is equal.
Exercise 5. If the moon attracts the earth, why does the
earth not move towards the moon?
Earth and moon is an example of a two-body system. They
both rotate in an orbit such that the centripetal force
required for circular motion is provided by the gravitational
force.
Assume centripetal acceleration of earth to be ae
Meae=GMeMm/R2
ae=GMm/R2
This is a very small value, and hence the centripetal
acceleration is very small. Also, the mass of the earth is very
large and hence the center of mass of earth and moon system
is very close to the earth. So, the radius of rotation of the
earth is very small and negligible.
Exercise 6. What happens to the force between two objects
(i) the mass of one object is doubled?
(ii) the distance between the objects is doubled
(iii) the masses of both objects are doubled?
7. What is the importance of universal law of gravitation?
The universal law of gravitation successfully
explained several phenomena which were
believed to be unconnected:
(i) the force that binds us to the earth;
(ii) the motion of the moon around the
earth;
(iii) the motion of planets around the Sun;
And
(iv) the tides due to the moon and the Sun.
8. What is the acceleration of free fall?
Acceleration of free fall is the acceleration produced when a body falls under the
influence of gravitational force of earth alone. It is denoted by g and its value on
the surface of the earth is 9.8 ms-2.
9. What do we call the gravitational force between the earth and an object?
Gravitational force between the earth and an object is known as the
weight of the object.
10. Amit buys few grams of gold at the poles as per the instruction of one of his
friends. He hands over the same when he meets him at the equator. Will the
friend agree with the weight of gold bought? If not, why? [Hint: The value of g is
greater at the poles than at the equator.]
The weight of a body is given by:
W=mg
Where, m= mass of the body
g= Acceleration due to gravity at that place
The value of g is greater at poles as compared to the equator. Therefore, gold will
weigh less at the equator and Amit’s friend will not agree with the weight of gold
bought.
11. Why will a sheet of paper fall slower than one that is crumpled into a ball?
When a sheet of paper is crumbled into a ball, its surface area decreases. Hence, it
experiences less air resistance to its motion and it falls faster than the sheet of
paper.
12.Gravitational force on the surface of the moon is only 1/6 as strong as
gravitational force on the earth. What is the weight in newtons of a 10 kg object
on the moon and on the earth?
Weight of an object on the moon = 1/6 x weight of an object on the earth.
Also, weight = mass x acceleration
Acceleration due to gravity, g = 9.8 m/s2
Therefore, weight of a 10 kg object on the Earth = 10 x 9.8
= 98 N.
And, weight of the same object on the moon
=98 /6 = 16.3 N.
13. A ball is thrown vertically upwards with a velocity of 49 m/s. Calculate
(i) the maximum height to which it rises,
(ii) the total time it takes to return to the surface of the earth.
14. A stone is released from the top of a tower of height 19.6 m. Calculate its
final velocity just before touching the ground.
15. A stone is thrown vertically upward with an initial velocity of 40 m/s. Taking
g = 10 m/s2, find the maximum height reached by the stone. What is the net
displacement and the total distance covered by the stone?
• Step 1: Given data
Initial velocity, u = 40 m/s
Acceleration due to gravity, g= -10 m/s2
Here we will consider the upward direction to be the positive and the downward
direction to be negative.
At the maximum height, the final velocity v=0
Step 2:Finding maximum height, distance and displacement
Applying the equation of motion,
Hence, the maximum height is 80𝑚.
Total distance covered =𝑠+𝑠=80+80=160𝑚.
Net displacement =0 [ as the stone comes to the same point from where it was thrown]
Thus, the maximum height attained by stone is 80 m. The total distance traveled and
displacement of the stone after reaching the ground is 160 m and 0 respectively.
16. Calculate the force of gravitation between the earth and the Sun, given that
the mass of the earth = 6 × 1024 kg and of the Sun = 2 × 1030 kg. The average
distance between the two is 1.5 × 1011 m.
17. A stone is allowed to fall from the top of a tower 100 m high and at the same
time another stone is projected vertically upwards from the ground with a
velocity of 25 m/s. Calculate when and where the two stones will meet.
18. A ball thrown up vertically returns to the thrower after 6 s. Find
(a) the velocity with which it was thrown up,
(b) the maximum height it reaches, and
(c) its position after 4 s.
19. In what direction does the buoyant force on an object
immersed in a liquid act?
20. Why does a block of plastic released under water come up to the surface of
water?
When plastic is immersed in water, the following two forces act on it:
→ Gravitational force or its weight in vertically downward direction
→ Buoyant force in vertically upward direction
As the density of plastic is less than that of water, the buoyant force is greater than
its weight. This explains why the plastic block comes up to the surface of the water
as soon as it is released under water.
• 21. The volume of 50 g of a substance is 20 cm3. If the density of water is 1 g
cm–3, will the substance float or sink?
22. The volume of a 500 g sealed packet is 350 cm3. Will the packet float or sink
in water if the density of water is 1 g cm–3? What will be the mass of the water
displaced by this packet?
