In Newton's law of universal gravitation, the magnitude of the gravitational force between two point masses depends on which two factors?

• A. The surface areas of the objects and the gravitational constant
• B. The two masses involved and the distance between their centers
• C. The masses involved and their electric charges
• D. The distance between the objects and the temperature of the surrounding space

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall Newton's law of universal gravitation, which states that the gravitational force \(F\) between two point masses is given by the formula: \[F = G \frac{m_1 m_2}{r^2}\] where \(G\) is the gravitational constant, \(m_1\) and \(m_2\) are the masses of the two objects, and \(r\) is the distance between their centers.
2. Identify the variables in the formula that directly affect the magnitude of the gravitational force: the two masses \(m_1\) and \(m_2\), and the distance \(r\) between their centers.
3. Understand that the gravitational force is proportional to the product of the two masses, meaning if either mass increases, the force increases proportionally.
4. Recognize that the force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the centers of the masses, so as the distance increases, the force decreases rapidly.
5. Conclude that the magnitude of the gravitational force depends specifically on the two masses involved and the distance between their centers, not on surface areas, electric charges, or temperature.