Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation

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According to the principle of superposition and the law of vector addition, the resultant gravitational force on (2m) is?

2Gm^2 in the positive i direction

2Gm^2 in the negative j direction

2Gm^2 in the negative i direction

2Gm^2 in the positive j direction (correct)

Why do we need to add up gravitational forces vectorially for all point masses in an extended object?

To decrease the overall gravitational force

Because it simplifies the calculation

Because the forces are not all in the same direction (correct)

To increase the overall gravitational force

In what scenario does a hollow spherical shell with uniform density exhibit a gravitational force as if its entire mass is concentrated at the center?

When the point mass is inside the shell

When the shell has non-uniform density

When the point mass is outside the shell (correct)

When the shell is not spherical

What component of gravitational forces from a hollow spherical shell have components along the line joining a point mass to the centre?

Both parallel and perpendicular components Signup and view all the answers

In the calculation of gravitational forces between an extended object and a point mass, what method is used?

Calculus Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of adding up all the gravitational forces from point masses in an extended object?

Total gravitational force Signup and view all the answers

What can we understand qualitatively about the force of attraction due to a hollow spherical shell of uniform density on a point mass situated inside it?

The force of attraction is zero due to forces from different regions of the shell cancelling each other. Signup and view all the answers

Who first experimentally determined the value of the gravitational constant G?

Henry Cavendish Signup and view all the answers

What kind of force exists between two spherical balls according to the text?

The gravitational force between the spherical balls is the same as if their masses are concentrated at their centres. Signup and view all the answers

What did Henry Cavendish use to experimentally determine the value of G?

An apparatus with small spheres and a torsion balance Signup and view all the answers

What happens to a suspended wire in Cavendish's experiment as a result of the torque applied by two neighbouring small spheres?

It gets twisted until restoring torque equals gravitational torque Signup and view all the answers

How did Cavendish measure the restoring torque in his experimental setup?

By applying a known torque and measuring the angle of twist Signup and view all the answers

According to Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation, the force between two bodies is directly proportional to ___________ and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

The product of their masses Signup and view all the answers

In Newton's gravitational law, what does the variable 'r' represent?

The distance between the bodies Signup and view all the answers

When applying Newton's third law to gravitational forces, what is the relationship between the force on body 1 due to body 2 and the force on body 2 due to body 1?

Equal in magnitude but opposite in direction Signup and view all the answers

How does the gravitational force vary with distance according to the assumption made at the beginning of the text?

Inversely proportional to the square of distance Signup and view all the answers

When dealing with extended objects, why is it important to consider that Newton's law refers to point masses?

Because extended objects have finite size Signup and view all the answers

What led Newton to propose his Universal Law of Gravitation?

Observations about acceleration due to gravity Signup and view all the answers

Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation

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