The Force of Gravitation

Overview

The Force of Gravitation is the universal force by which every object in the universe attracts every other object. As described by Newton, this force governs both the falling of an apple to the Earth and the Moon's orbit around it. The magnitude of this force is directly proportional to the product of the masses of the two objects and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. Despite being weak between small objects due to the small value of the gravitational constant ( đș = 6.673×10-11 Nm2/kg2 ), it becomes significant for massive bodies like the Earth, where it manifests as the weight of objects and is directed towards the center of the Earth.

Questions and Answers

  1. What is the force of gravitation?

    The force of gravitation is a universal force by which every object in the universe attracts every other object. It governs phenomena like the falling of an apple and the orbital motion of celestial bodies.

  2. What does Newton's Law of Gravitation state?

    Newton's Law of Gravitation states that every body in the universe attracts every other body with a force directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.

  3. Why don’t we feel the gravitational force between everyday objects?

    The gravitational force between everyday objects is extremely small due to the small value of G, making it negligible compared to other forces.

  4. How is Newton’s Third Law of Motion related to the force of gravitation?

    According to Newton's Third Law, the force with which one mass attracts another is equal in magnitude but opposite in direction to the force with which the second mass attracts the first.

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

    If the distance between two objects is doubled, the gravitational force becomes one-fourth of its original value because the force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance.

Multiple-Choice Questions

  1. Who formulated the law of universal gravitation?

    a) Albert Einstein
    b) Galileo Galilei
    c) Isaac Newton
    d) Johannes Kepler
    Answer: c) Isaac Newton

  2. What does the gravitational force depend on?

    a) Only the distance between two objects
    b) Only the masses of two objects
    c) The masses of two objects and the distance between them
    d) The shape and color of the objects
    Answer: c) The masses of two objects and the distance between them

  3. How does the gravitational force change if the distance between two objects is halved?

    a) It doubles.
    b) It becomes four times stronger.
    c) It becomes one-fourth.
    d) It remains unchanged.
    Answer: b) It becomes four times stronger.

  4. What is the SI unit of gravitational force?

    a) Newton (N)
    b) Joule (J)
    c) Kilogram (kg)
    d) Pascal (Pa)
    Answer: a) Newton (N)

  5. What does Newton’s law of gravitation state about the direction of gravitational forces?

    a) Gravitational forces are always parallel.
    b) Gravitational forces are equal and opposite.
    c) Gravitational forces are always towards the larger object.
    d) Gravitational forces act only in one direction.
    Answer: b) Gravitational forces are equal and opposite.