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Physics with Calculus: Gravity and Gravitation

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Terms in this set (23)

  • Newton's law of universal gravitation
    Every body attracts every other body with a force directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.
  • Effect on gravitational force if mass of one object is halved
    The gravitational force becomes half as large, i.e., new force is \(\frac{1}{2}F\).
  • Effect on gravitational force if mass of one object is doubled
    The gravitational force doubles, i.e., new force is \(2F\).
  • Difference between mass and weight
    Mass is a fixed property of an object; weight depends on the environment and gravitational field strength.
  • Why is acceleration due to gravity (g = 9.8 m/s²) treated as constant near Earth's surface?
    Because the height of a tall mountain is negligible compared to Earth's radius, so distance to Earth's center barely changes.
  • Scientist who developed the law of universal gravitation
    Isaac Newton.
  • Scientist who developed the idea that gravity warps space-time
    Albert Einstein.
  • Magnitude of acceleration due to gravity at Earth's center
    Zero, because gravitational forces from all directions cancel out.
  • Reading on a bathroom scale in free fall
    Zero, because both the person and scale are in free fall, creating weightlessness.
  • How does gravitational force change with distance?
    Gravity gets weaker as the distance between two objects increases.
  • Comparison of gravitational forces between two objects
    The magnitude of the force each exerts on the other is equal, per Newton's third law.
  • Why do we feel only Earth's gravity daily despite universal attraction?
    Earth is massive and close enough to produce a noticeable gravitational force compared to other objects.
  • Cause of ocean tides
    The Moon creates tidal bulges on the sides of Earth closest and farthest from it.
  • Why don't we feel gravitational pull from nearby people?
    Their gravitational force is too small to be physically sensed.
  • Does mass change on the Moon compared to Earth?
    No, mass is constant regardless of location; weight changes due to gravity.
  • What happens during spring tides?
    Spring tides occur when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned, causing higher tides.
  • What does closely spaced gravitational field lines indicate?
    A stronger gravitational field at that point.
  • Weakest of the four fundamental forces
    Gravitational force.
  • Relationship between tangential velocity and gravitational force for orbiting bodies
    They act at right angles to each other.
  • Scientist who measured the gravitational constant G
    Henry Cavendish.
  • Can gravitational force be blocked, repulsive, or zero?
    No; gravitational force cannot be blocked, is never repulsive, and is never zero between two masses.
  • What happens when a star's escape velocity exceeds the speed of light?
    The star becomes a black hole.
  • Gravity causes which large-scale effects?
    Earth's round shape, ocean tides, and mutual attraction of all bodies.