Physics Flashcards
What is Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation?
It says that gravity is a force that pulls two objects toward each other. The strength depends on their masses and how far apart they are.
What do the letters in the gravity formula stand for?
F means force
G means gravitational constant (a fixed number)
m1 and m2 mean the two masses
r means the distance between them
What does “square of the distance” mean?
It means you multiply the distance by itself. For example, 3 squared is 3 times 3, which is 9.
What happens to gravity if the distance between two objects doubles?
The gravity becomes 4 times weaker.
What happens to gravity if the distance triples?
The gravity becomes 9 times weaker.
What happens to gravity if the distance becomes 4 times bigger?
The gravity becomes 16 times weaker.
How do you figure out the new force when distance increases?
You square the new distance number and divide the original force by that number. Example: if the distance doubles, square 2 (which is 4), then divide the force by 4.
What makes gravity stronger or weaker?
Bigger mass makes it stronger. More distance makes it weaker.
Why does gravity get weaker so quickly as distance increases?
Because you’re not just increasing the distance — you’re squaring it. That makes the force drop really fast.
What happens to gravity if two objects get closer together?
Gravity gets stronger, because the distance is smaller and not being squared as much.
