Universal Law of Gravitation

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Questions and Answers

What is the value of the universal gravitational constant, G?

  • 9.8 m/s2
  • 6.673 × 10–11 Nm2/kg2 (correct)
  • 6.673 × 10–12 Nm2/kg2
  • 3.14

According to the universal law of gravitation, the force of attraction between two objects is directly proportional to which of the following?

  • The difference of their masses
  • The product of their masses (correct)
  • The square of the distance between them
  • The sum of their masses

According to the universal law of gravitation, the force of attraction between two objects is inversely proportional to which of the following?

  • The sum of their masses
  • The square of the distance between them (correct)
  • The product of their masses
  • The cube of the distance between them

Which scientist is credited with determining the value of the universal gravitational constant, G?

<p>Henry Cavendish (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of the universal law of gravitation in understanding free fall?

<p>It explains the force that causes objects to fall to Earth. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which formula accurately represents the weight of an object (W) in terms of its mass (m) and the acceleration due to gravity (g)?

<p>W = m × g (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between the weight of an object on Earth and its weight on the Moon?

<p>The weight on the Moon is 1/6th the weight on Earth. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the symbol 'g' represent in the context of gravitational acceleration?

<p>The acceleration due to gravity (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the acceleration due to gravity denoted by?

<p>g (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following correctly describes free fall?

<p>An object falling due to gravitational force alone. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of these statements regarding mass and weight is true?

<p>Weight is the force with which an object is attracted towards the earth. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to an object's weight when it is taken to a place with lower gravitational pull?

<p>It decreases. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which variable does the acceleration due to gravity, 'g', not depend on?

<p>The mass of the body. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the S.I. unit of weight?

<p>Newton (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

As one moves from the poles to the equator, what happens to the value of 'g'?

<p>It decreases. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the total time taken for a stone to ascend and descend when thrown vertically upward at an initial velocity of 49 m/s?

<p>10 seconds (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the value of 'g' in m/s² at the surface of the earth?

<p>9.8 m/s² (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the final velocity of a stone just before it touches the ground when dropped from a height of 19.6 m?

<p>19.6 m/s (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Given an initial vertical velocity of 40 m/s and a gravitational acceleration of 10 m/s², what is the maximum height reached by the stone?

<p>80 m (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the total distance covered by the stone when it is thrown upward and comes back down?

<p>160 m (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which equation is used to calculate the distance traveled by the stone thrown upward before reaching its maximum height?

<p>v^2 = u^2 - 2gs (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason a sheet of paper falls slower than a ball?

<p>Air friction on the paper is greater than on the ball. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which statement correctly distinguishes between the gravitational constant (G) and the acceleration due to gravity (g)?

<p>G remains constant everywhere, while g can change based on location. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why do heavy objects not fall faster than light objects in the absence of air resistance?

<p>All objects fall at a constant acceleration due to gravity. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the gravitational force between two objects if the distance between them is doubled?

<p>The force becomes one-fourth of its initial force. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

If both masses of two objects are doubled, what is the effect on the gravitational force between them?

<p>The force becomes four times greater than its initial value. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What will be the maximum height reached by a ball thrown vertically upwards with a velocity of 49 m/s (assuming g = 9.8 m/s²)?

<p>122.5 m (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the total time it takes for a ball thrown upwards at 49 m/s to return to the surface of the earth?

<p>14 s (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the gravitational force if the mass of one object is tripled?

<p>The force triples. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Universal Law of Gravitation

Every object attracts every other object with a force proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

Force of Attraction

The gravitational force between two objects determined by their masses and the distance separating them.

Value of G

The universal gravitational constant, G = 6.673 × 10⁻¹¹ Nm²/kg²

SI Unit of G

The standard unit for the universal gravitational constant, expressed as Nm²/kg².

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Free Fall

The motion of an object where gravity is the only force acting on it.

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Weight Formula

Weight (W) is calculated using the formula W = m × g.

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Gravity on Moon

The weight of an object on the Moon is approximately 1/6 of its weight on Earth.

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Motion Equations

Formulas that describe the motion of objects under gravity, e.g., v = u + gt.

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Time of Ascent (Ta)

The time taken for an object to rise before falling back down.

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Total Time (T)

The sum of time taken to ascend and descend an object.

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Final Velocity (v)

The speed of an object just before it touches the ground.

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Maximum Height (s)

The highest point reached by a projectile in motion.

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Total Distance Covered

The overall path length traveled by an object during ascent and descent.

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Acceleration due to Gravity (g)

The acceleration experienced by an object in free fall, approximately 9.8 m/s².

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Gravitational Constant (G)

A constant used in the calculation of gravitational force between two masses.

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Difference between Mass and Weight

Mass is the measure of matter in an object; weight is the force of gravity on that mass.

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Mass

The amount of matter in an object, measured in kilograms (kg).

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Weight

The force exerted on an object due to gravity, measured in Newtons (N).

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Radius of the Earth (R)

The average distance from the center of the Earth to its surface, affects gravitational force.

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Vector Quantity

A quantity that has both magnitude and direction, like velocity.

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Air Friction

The resistance experienced by an object moving through air, affecting its fall.

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Mass Effect on Force

Doubling the mass of one object increases the gravitational force between two objects by two times.

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Distance Effect on Force

Increasing distance between two masses decreases gravitational force; double distance reduces force to one-fourth.

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Maximum Height Calculation

Maximum height achieved by an object thrown vertically is calculated using its initial velocity and gravity's effect.

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Study Notes

Universal Law of Gravitation

  • Every object in the universe attracts every other object with a force directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.
  • The force acts along the line joining the centers of the two objects.
  • Formula: F = G * (m1 * m2) / r^2
    • F is the force of attraction
    • G is the universal gravitational constant (approximately 6.674 × 10^-11 N⋅m²/kg²)
    • m1 and m2 are the masses of the two objects
    • r is the distance between the centers of the two objects

Importance of Universal Law of Gravitation

  • Explains the force that binds us to Earth.
  • Explains the motion of the Moon around Earth.
  • Explains the motion of planets around the Sun.
  • Explains tides caused by the Moon and Sun.

Calculating the value of g

  • Acceleration due to gravity (g) is the acceleration experienced by an object due to the gravitational pull of another object (often Earth).
  • Formula: g = GM / r^2
    • G is the gravitational constant
    • M is the mass of the large object (e.g., Earth)
    • r is the distance from the center of the large object to the object experiencing gravity.

Free Fall

  • Free fall is the motion of an object when it is falling under the influence of gravity alone, with no other forces acting upon it.

Relation Between G and g

  • Acceleration due to gravity (g) is related to the gravitational constant (G) and the mass (M) and radius (R) of the Earth.
  • Formula: g = GM / R^2

Mass vs. Weight

  • Mass: A measure of the amount of matter in an object.
    • Measured in kilograms (kg)
    • Inertia is a property related to mass: resistance to acceleration.
  • Weight: The force of gravity acting on an object's mass.
    • Measured in Newtons (N)
    • Weight = mass × acceleration due to gravity (g)

Gravitational Constant (G) vs. Acceleration due to Gravity (g)

  • Gravitational Constant (G): A universal constant representing the strength of the gravitational force between any two objects.
    • Value: Approximately 6.674 × 10⁻¹¹ N⋅m²/kg².
    • Scalar quantity (only magnitude)
    • Constant value everywhere
  • Acceleration due to Gravity (g): The acceleration experienced by an object due to the Earth's gravitational pull.
    • Value: Varies slightly based on location on the Earth. Approximately 9.8 m/s².
    • Vector quantity (has both magnitude and direction)
    • Value varies depending on location.

Numerical Examples (Summary)

  • Force Changes with Mass and Distance: Doubling one mass doubles the force; doubling the distance reduces the force to one-fourth. Tripling the distance reduces the force to one-ninth.
  • Vertical Motion: Objects thrown vertically upward achieve maximum height by having zero final velocity. Total time of flight is double the time it takes to reach maximum height. Objects dropped from a height acquire velocity according to acceleration due to gravity; formula for this is shown in the pages.

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