3(E).

Gravitation

Exercise – 3(E) (Page No: 79 & 80) Total no. of pages:07

Question 1
State Newton's law of gravitation.
Solution 1
Newton's law of gravitation: Every particle in the universe attracts every
other particle with a force which is directly proportional to the product of
their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between
them, and the direction of the force is along the line joining the masses.
Solution 2
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 distance between them.

Question 2 (Answer is given in Text)

State whether the gravitational force between two masses is attractive or

repulsive?  
Solution
Gravitational force is always attractive.

Question 3
Write an expression for the gravitational force of attraction
between two bodies of masses m1 and m2 separated by a distance r.
Solution
F∝Gm1m2d2
Here G is a constant of proportionality called the universal gravitational
constant.

Question 4
How does the gravitational force of attraction between two masses
depend on the distance between them?
Solution
The gravitational force of attraction between two masses is inversely
proportional to the square of distance between them.

Question 5 (Answer is given in Text)

How is the gravitational force between two masses affected if the

separation between them is doubled?
Solution
F∝Gm1m2d2
If the distance between the masses becomes half, the force reduces to one-
fourth.

Question 6
Define gravitational constant G.
Solution
The gravitational constant is defined as the force of attraction between two
bodies of unit mass separated by a unit distance.

Question 7
Write the numerical value of gravitational constant G with its S.I. unit.
Solution
The value of G in the S.I. system is 6.67 x 10-11Nm2kg-2.
Question 8
What is the importance of law of gravitation?
Solution
The gravitational force of attraction is significant to explain the motion of
heavenly bodies, e.g. motion of planets around the Sun, motion of the Moon
around the Earth etc.

Question 9
What do you understand by the term force due to gravity? 
Solution
The force with which the Earth attracts a body towards its center is called the
force due to gravity.

Question 10
Write an expression for the force due to gravity on a body of mass m and
explain the meaning of symbols used in it.
Solution
The force due to gravity on a body of mass m kept on the surface of Earth
(mass=M and radius=R) is equal to the force of attraction between the Earth
and that body.
F= GMm/ R2

Question 11
Define the term acceleration due to gravity? Write its S.I. unit.
Solution
The rate at which the velocity of a freely falling body increases is called
acceleration due to gravity. Its S.I. unit is m/s2.
Question 12
Write down the average value of g on Earth's surface?
Solution
The average value of 'g' on the Earth's surface is 9.8 m/s2.

Question 13
How is the acccelaration due to gravity on the surface of the earth
realted to its mass and radius? 
Solution
Let g be the acceleration due to gravity on the Earth's surface (mass = M and
radius = R).
Then , g=GmR2 

Question 14
How are g and G related?
Solution
Acceleration due to gravity (g) is directly proportional to universal
gravitational constant (G).

Question 15 (Answer is given in Text)

A body falls freely under gravity from rest and reaches the ground in
time t. Write the expression for the height fallen by the body.
Solution
Initial velocity, u = 0.
Time taken = t.
Acceleration due to gravity = g.
Let 'h' be the height fallen.
h=ut+1/2gt2
h= ½ gt2

Question 16 (Answer is given in Text)

A body is thrown vertically upwards with an initial velocity u. Write the

expression for the maximum height attained by the body.
Solution
A body is thrown vertically upwards with an initial velocity u. Write the
expression for the maximum height attained by the body.
v2 = u2 - 2gh
We - get ,
hmax = u2/2g

Question 17
Define the terms mass and weight.
Solution
Mass: The mass of a body is the quantity of matter it contains.
Weight: The weight of a body is the force with which the Earth attracts it.

Question 18
 Distinguish between mass and weight.
Solution
Mass is a scalar quantity, but weight is a vector quantity. Mass is the measure
of the quantity of matter contained in a body, but weight is the measure of
force with which the Earth attracts the body. Mass of a body is always
constant but weight varies from place to place.

Question 19
State the S.I. units of (a) mass and (b) weight.
Solution
The S.I. unit of mass is kg and that of weight is newton.

Question 20 (Answer is given in Text)

The value of g at the centre of Earth is zero. What will be the weight of a
body of mass m kg at the centre of the Earth?
Solution
W = mg
At the center of Earth, g = 0.
Therefore, W = 0.

Question 21 (Answer is given in Text)

Which of the following quantity does not change by change of place of a

body: mass or weight?
Solution
Mass of a body is always constant.
Question 22
Explain the meaning of the following statement '1 kgf = 9.8 N'.
Solution
1 kgf = 9.8 N.
One-kilogram force is the force due to gravity on a mass of 1 kg.

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