Page 1 of 5 CPP - SANKALP_GRA–1-PH-III

CPP
GRAVITATION-SHEET: 1(Lecture-1)
LEVEL – I

1. Find the dimensions of G.

2. If R is the radius of the earth and g the acceleration due to gravity on the earth's surface, find the mean
density of the earth.

3. Newton's law of gravitation is called universal law because -

(A) force is always attractive
(B) it is applicable to lighter and heavier bodies
(C) it is applicable at all times
(D) it is applicable at all places of universe for all distances between all particles.

4. Two boys of masses 50kg and 60kg are 1m apart. The gravitational force of attraction between them
(G = 6.67 × 10–11N × m2/kg2) is
(A) 2 × 10–10 N (B) 2 × 10–7 N (C) 2 × 10–4 N (D) 2 × 10–1 N

5. Two small bodies of masses 2.00 kg and 4.00 kg are kept at rest at a separation of 2.0 m. Where should a
particle of mass 0.10 kg be placed to experience no net gravitational force from these bodies?

6. Somebody says “I weigh less than what I exactly weigh”. Is he right? Is there any place on earth where he can
weigh exactly?

7. Three particles, two with mass m and one with mass M, might be arranged in any of the four configurations
shown below. Rank the configurations according to the magnitude of the gravitational force on M, from least to
greatest (i.e., in increasing order).
m m
d
d d d
d d d
M m m m M m M m M d m

(1) (2) (3) (4)

(A) 1, 2, 3, 4 (B) 2, 1, 3, 4
(C) 2, 1, 4, 3 (D) 2, 3, 4, 2

8. Three identical point masses, each of mass 1kg lie in the x-y plane at points (0, 0) (0, 0.2m) and (0.2m, 0).
Find the gravitational force on the mass at the origin in vector form.

9. Force of gravitation between two masses is found to be F, in vacuum. If both the masses are dipped in water
then, new force will be
(1) Greater than F (2) Less than F (3) F (4) Cannot say
LEVEL - II
AM
1. Three particles, each of mass M, are located at the vertices of an equilateral triangle of
side 'a'. At what speed must they move if they all revolve under the influence of their 30o

gravitational force of attraction in a circular orbit circumscribing the triangle while still
O r
preserving the equilateral triangle?
C B
M M

2. Three identical particles, each of mass m, are placed at the three corners of an equilateral triangle of side ‘a’.
Find the force exerted by this system on another particle of mass m placed at
(a) the mid-point of a side
(b) the centre of the triangle.

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Page 2 of 5 CPP - SANKALP_GRA–1-PH-III
1
G 3
3. Binary stars rotate under mutual gravitational force at separation 2  2  , where  is the angular velocity of
ω 
each of the star about centre of mass of the system. If difference between the mass of stars is 6 units. Find
the ratio of masses of bigger star to smaller star.

4. In a double star, two stars (One of mass 'm' and the other '2m') distance 'd' apart rotate about their common
centre of mass. Find the ratio of their individual kinetic energies.

5. Two particles orbit around a fixed point in circular orbits having the ratio of their time period as 8:3 3 . Find
the ratio of their angular velocities.

6. A meteor of mass M breaks up into two parts. The mass of one part is m. For a given separation r, for what
value of m the mutual gravitational force between the two parts will be maximum?

7. Find the gravitational force of attraction between a particle of mass m and a uniform slender rod of mass M
and length L for the two orientations shown in the figure below.
m
M
d
m
d M
(a)
(b)

8. There are two fixed heavy masses of magnitude M of high density on x-axis at
(d, 0, 0) and (d, 0, 0). A small mass m moves in a circle of radius R about origin in the y-z plane between the
heavy masses. Find the speed of the small particle.

9. Four particles, each of mass m, are placed at the corners of squar and moving along a circle of radius r under
the influence of mutual gravitational attraction. Find the speed of each particle.

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Page 3 of 5 CPP - SANKALP_GRA–1-PH-III

GRAVITATION SHEET : 1(Lecture-1)

ANSWER KEY
LEVEL - I

1. M–1L3T–2

2. 3g/4RG
4
G  R3 
2. g 3
R2
3g
 
4GR
3. D

4. B
6.67  10 11  50  60
4. F 2
1
= 2  107 N

5. 0.83 m from the 2.00 kg body towards the other body

G2 G 4
5. 
x2 2  x
2

 x  0.83m

6. Yes, he is right. Due to rotation of earth, he weighs less. Yes, at poles he can weigh exactly.

7. B
GMm GMm
7. F1  
d2  2d
2

F2 = 0
GMm
F3 = 2
d2
 GMm 2  GMm 2 GMm  0
F4      2 cos  ( < 90 )
  d   d  d 
8. 1.67 × 10–19 ( iˆ + ĵ ) N
11
6.67  10  | x | ˆ ˆ
8. F
 0.2 
2 
ij N 
9. 3
9. Force between masses is independent of median.
LEVEL - II

    GM2   GM2 
1. FA  FAB  FAC  2  2  cos30o   2  3 
 a   a 
a
r
3
Mv 2 Mv 2  3 GM2
Now,  F  2  3
r a a
GM
or v 
a
2. (a) Using the principle of superposition

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Page 4 of 5 CPP - SANKALP_GRA–1-PH-III
   
F  FA  FB  FC
 
When the particle is placed at the mid point of a side (at P), FC   FB , and they cancel each other.
 
Hence, force experienced by the particle, F  FA A

 Gmm Gm2
| F |  | FA | = 
 AP 2  a sin602

4Gm2    FA
= 2  alongPA  C B
3a    P

FC FB

(b) If the particle is placed at the centre of the triangle, the net A
force on the particle P due to particles placed at the corners

A, B and C will be zero. FA
     P
Hence, F  FA  FB  FC  0 
 FC
FB
C B

3. 7 r
Given that m1 – m2 = 6 unit …….(i)
equation of motion r1 r2
Gm1m2 m2 r m1  c m2
 m1 2r1  m1 2
r2 m1  m2
 2r 3
 m1  m2   8 unit ......  ii
G
by (i) & (ii)
m1
7
m2
4. The centre of mass C will be at a distance d/3 and 2d/3 from the
masses 2m and m respectively.

Both the stars rotate with same angular velocity '' around c in their C
individual orbits.
1 d/3 2d/3
.2m(d / 3)2 2
2 1
Ratio of kinetic energies = =
1 2
m(2d / 3)2 2
2
T 8
5. Given, 1 
T2 3 3
1 T2 3 3
 
2 T1 8

6. m = (M/2)
Gm(M  m)
F  0
r2
dF G
 (M  2m)  0
dm r 2
M = 2m
 m = (M/2)

GmM 2GmM
7. (a) , (b) 
d(d  L) d L2  4d2
M  x
G.m  dx 
7. (a) dF  2  m dx
x2

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Page 5 of 5 CPP - SANKALP_GRA–1-PH-III
dL
GMm dx
F 
L x x2
GMm

dd  L

M  
2 G 
(b) F  2 2  L / 2 
d  L2 
 d2  
 4 

8. Force of attraction between M and m is m

GMm F F
F= 2
R  d2 R
By symmetry Fx components will cancel. M M
 The net force, which provides the centripetal force,
d d
is given by
GMm R GMm
2Fy = 2. 2 2
 2 2 1/ 2
= 2R 2
(R  d ) (R  d ) (R  d2 )3 / 2
1/ 2
mv 2 GMm  2GMR2 
  2R 2 2 3/2
 v = 2 2 3/2 
.
R (R  d )  (R  d ) 
9. Resultant force on particle '1'
Fr = 2 F + F'
Gm 2 Gm 2 mv 2
Fr = 2 + =
2r 2 4r 2 r
Gm  2 2  1 
v=  
r  4 

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