Universal Gravitation & Kepler's Laws

Front

What happens to gravitational acceleration (g) as an object moves further away from a planet's surface?

Back

Gravitational acceleration (g) decreases as the object moves further away from the planet's surface.

Front

Does the acceleration due to gravity on Earth's surface depend on the object's mass?

Back

No, the acceleration due to gravity on Earth's surface does not depend on the object's mass.

Front

In which month is the Earth closest to the Sun?

Back

The Earth is closest to the Sun in January.

Front

According to Kepler's 2nd Law, what happens to a planet's speed when it is nearest to the Sun?

Back

When a planet is nearest to the Sun, it moves faster.

Front

What is the shape of the gravitational field around a planet in space?

Back

The gravitational field around a planet converges towards the center of the planet.

Front

What is the universal law of gravitation?

Back

The universal law of gravitation states that every mass attracts every other mass with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.

Front

What is Kepler's 1st Law?

Back

Kepler's 1st Law states that planets move in elliptical orbits with the Sun at one of the foci.

Front

What does Kepler's 3rd Law state about the relationship between a planet's orbital period and its distance from the Sun?

Back

Kepler's 3rd Law states that the square of a planet's orbital period is directly proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of its orbit.

Front

What is the value of the gravitational constant (G)?

Back

The gravitational constant (G) is approximately 6.674 × 10^-11 N(m/kg)^2.

Front

How does the gravitational force between two objects change if the distance between them is doubled?

Back

If the distance between two objects is doubled, the gravitational force between them decreases by a factor of four (inverse-square law).