Newtons Law Of Gravitational Flashcards
(40 cards)
What is Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation?
Each particle in the universe attracts every other particle with a gravitational force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.
How is Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation different from Newton’s laws of motion?
Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation describes the gravitational force between masses, while Newton’s 1st, 2nd, and 3rd laws of motion deal with the motion of bodies and forces acting on them.
What are the key requirements stated by exam guidelines for Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation?
You need to state the definition, solve problems using formulas, describe related terms, distinguish between mass and weight, and calculate the weight of an object on a certain planet.
In the formula for gravitational force, what do the letters r and d represent?
Both r and d represent the distance between the centers of the two masses.
What type of force do masses exert on each other according to Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation?
Masses exert a non-contact force on each other, meaning they do not have to touch to exert a force.
What factors affect the size of the gravitational force between two objects?
The mass of each object and the distance between their centers.
What is the difference between weight and mass?
Weight is the force of gravity on an object, measured in Newtons, while mass is the amount of matter in the body, measured in kilograms and is a scalar quantity.
Give the formula to calculate weight from mass.
Weight = mass × gravitational acceleration (weight = mass * gravity or Fg = mass * gravity)
What is the value of gravitational acceleration on Earth?
9.8 m/s²
How would you calculate the weight of an object that has a mass of 800 grams on Earth?
Convert 800 g to 0.8 kg, then multiply by 9.8 m/s²: Fg = 0.8 kg × 9.8 m/s² = 7.84 N
What is weightlessness and when does it occur?
Weightlessness is the sensation when the only force acting on our body is gravitational force (free fall), not a true absence of weight.
What is the condition for an object to be truly weightless?
When it is located somewhere in the universe where the gravitational field is zero.
How is Newton’s law of universal gravitation similar to Coulomb’s law?
Both laws describe forces that are directly proportional to the product of two quantities (mass or charge) and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.
What happens to gravitational force if the mass of one object doubles?
The gravitational force doubles as well since force is directly proportional to mass.
What is the effect on gravitational force if the distance between two objects doubles?
The gravitational force becomes one-fourth as large because force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance.
What does it mean for two quantities to be inversely proportional?
If one quantity increases, the other decreases, and vice versa.
State the formula for the gravitational force between two objects.
F = G(m1 * m2) / r², where F is force, G is gravitational constant, m1 and m2 are masses, and r is the distance between centers.
What does Newton’s Third Law say about gravitational forces between two masses?
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction; the forces two masses exert on each other are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction.
If a blue object pulls a green object to the left with a gravitational force, what happens?
The green object pulls the blue object to the right with the same force but in the opposite direction.
What does the gravitational constant G represent and what is its approximate value?
G is a universal constant that quantifies the strength of gravity, approximately 6.67 × 10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg².
What is the formula for calculating gravitational acceleration ‘g’ near the surface of a planet?
g = G * M / R², where M is the mass of the planet and R is the distance from the planet’s center.
Why is gravitational acceleration dependent only on the bigger object’s mass?
Because the gravitational acceleration felt by an object depends on the mass of the larger body (like a planet), not on the smaller object’s mass.
On Earth, do a light feather and a heavy bowling ball fall at the same rate ignoring air resistance?
Yes, because the acceleration due to gravity (g) is the same for all objects regardless of their mass.
When should you use the formula F = G(m1 * m2) / r²?
To calculate the gravitational force between two objects or to find the distance between them.
