Gravitation

An apple falls from a tree because of the gravitational attraction between the earth and the apple. If F1 is the magnitude of the force exerted by the earth on the apple and F2 is the magnitude of the force exerted by the apple on the earth, then

• (a) F1 is very much greater than F2

• (b) F2 is very much greater than F1

• (c) F1 and F2 are equal

• (d) F1 is only a little greater than F2

A boy is whirling a stone tied with a string in a horizontal circular path as shown in the following figure:

If the string breaks the stone:

• (a) Will move along a straight line towards the centre of the circular path

• (b) Will move along a straight line the tangential to the circular path

• (c) Will move along a straight line perpendicular to the circular path away from the boy

• (d) Will continue to move in the circular path

The value of ‘g’

• a. Increases as we go above the earth’s surface

• b. Decreases as we go to the centre of the earth

• c. Remains constant

• d. Is more at equator and less at poles

Why do we say that the acceleration due to gravity (g) is independent of the smaller mass?

The gravitational force exerted by an object depends on its

• volume

• mass

• weight

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4