Pon Vidyashram Unique School

Injambakkam

Class: IX Subject: PHYSICS

CHAPTER 10 – GRAVITATION

CONCEPT MAP

Gravitation

Governed by Measured through

Newton’s law of gravitation Acceleration due to gravity

‘g’ [g = GM/R2]

F = G M1M2/d2 Varies due to the

Altitude Depth Rotation of the earth

DEFINITIONS & FORMULAS USED:

• Gravity is one of the most basic forces in the universe. It plays a fundamental role not only
in the structure of our solar system but also in the way objects behave on Earth.

• The universal law of gravitation states that, ‘Every object in the universe attracts every
other object with a force which is directly proportional to product of the masses and
inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.’

• Mass is the amount of matter in a body. It is a scalar quantity. The mass of an object is
constant and does not change from place to place.

• Weight of an object is the force with which it is attracted towards the Earth. It’s a vector
quantity. Weight of an object changes from place to place.
The S.I unit of weight is Newton (N)

• The mass of the moon is less than the mass of the earth. So the moon exerts lesser force
on the objects than the earth. The weight of an object on the moon is one sixth of its weight
on the earth. The weight of an object on the earth is the force with which the earth attracts
the object and the weight of an object on the moon is the force with which the moon attracts
the object.

• Importance of the Universal Law of Gravitation

(i) The force that binds us to the Earth.
(ii) The motion of the moon around the Earth.
(iii) The motion of planets around the Sun.
(iv) The tides due to the moon and the Sun.

• Acceleration due to gravity

When an object falls freely towards the surface of earth from a certain height, then its
velocity changes. This change in velocity produces acceleration in the object which is
known as acceleration due to gravity denoted by letter g. The value of acceleration due to
gravity is g= 9.8 m/s2.

• Weight of an object on the Moon:

Let the mass of an object be m. Let its weight on the moon be Wm. Let the mass of the moon be
Mm and its radius be Rm. By applying the universal law of gravitation, the weight of the object on
the moon will be
Let the weight of the same object on the earth be We. The mass of earth is M and its radius is R.

(2)

Dividing equation (2) by (1),

(3)

Substituting the values in equations (3) we get

Gravitational constant = 6.67 X 10-7 Nm2/kg2

Mass of the moon = 7.3 X 1022 kg
Mass of the Earth = 6 X 1024 kg
Radius of the moon = 1.7 X 106 m
Radius of the Earth = 6 X 106 kg

FORMULAS :

1. F = G M1M2/d2

2. W = Mg

3. g = GM / d2
 NCERT INTEXT SOLUTIONS

(Page No. 134)

1. State the universal law of gravitation.

According to Newton’s universal law of gravitation: Every mass in this universe attracts
every other mass with a force which is directly proportional to the product of two masses
and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

F α M1M2/r2

[or]

F = G M1M2/r2

2. Write the formula to find the magnitude of the gravitational force between the earth and an
object on the surface of the earth.

The formula to find the magnitude of the gravitational force between the earth and an object
on the surface of the earth is given below:

F = G M1M2/d2

F = magnitude of gravitational force

G = Universal gravitation constant = 6.66 x 10-11Nm2Kg-2
M = mass of earth
m = mass of the object
d = distance of the object from the center of the earth

(Page No. 136)

1. What do you mean by free fall?

It is the object falling towards earth under the influence of the attractive force of earth
(gravitational force) or gravity.

2. What do you mean by acceleration due to gravity?

During free fall any object that has mass experiences gravitational force towards the center
of the earth and it produces acceleration in the motion of an object and that is due to gravity.
so acceleration experienced by an object in its free fall is called acceleration due to gravity.”
It is denoted by g.

(Page No. 138)

1. What are the differences between the mass of an object and its weight?

Mass of the object Weight

Mass is defined as the quantity of matter Weight is a force with which an object is
defined in an object attracted towards the earth’s centre.
It is denoted by ‘m’ It is denoted by ‘W’
F=mxa W=mxg
It remains constant at any place of the universe It is different at different places.

2. Why is the weight of an object on the moon 1/6th its weight on the earth?

Since we know,

W=mxg

Mass of object remains the same whether on earth or moon but the value of acceleration on the
moon is 1/6 th of the value of acceleration on earth. Because of this weight of an object on the
moon is 1/6th its weight on the earth.
 BOOK BACK SOLUTIONS

1. How does the force of gravitation between two objects change when the distance between
them is reduced to half?

The force of gravitation between two objects is inversely proportional to the square of the
distance between them, therefore, the gravity will become four times if the distance
between them is reduced to half.

2. Gravitational force acts on all objects in proportion to their masses. Why then, a heavy
object does not fall faster than a light object?

In free fall of objects the acceleration in velocity due to gravity is independent of the mass
of those objects hence a heavy object does not fall faster than a light object.

3. What is the magnitude of the gravitational force between the earth and a 1 kg object on its
surface? (Mass of the earth is 6 x 1024 kg and radius of the earth is 6.4 x 106 m)

F = G M1M2/d2

= 6.6 x 10-11 x 6 x 1024 x 1

[6.4 x 106]2

= 6.7 x 6 x 10
6.4 x 6.4

= 9.81 N

4. The earth and the moon are attracted to each other by gravitational force. Does the earth
attract the moon with a force that is greater or smaller or the same as the force with which
the moon attracts the earth? Why?

The earth and the moon are attracted to each other by same gravitational force because for
both of them formula to calculate force of attraction is the same

F = G (Me x Mm)/d2

d is also same for both.

5. If the moon attracts the earth, why does the earth not move towards the moon?

Earth does not move towards the moon because the mass of the moon is very small as
compared to that of earth.
6. What happens to the force between two objects, if
(i) the mass of one object is doubled?
(ii) the distance between the objects is doubled and tripled?
(iii) the masses of both objects are doubled?

(i) The force between two objects will be doubled.

(ii) The force between two objects will become 1/4 th and 1/9 th of the present force.
(iii) The force between two objects will become four times the present force

7. What is the importance of the universal law of gravitation?

The universal law of gravitation is important due to the following:

i) This law explains well the force that binds us to earth.
ii) This law describes the motion of planets around the sun.
iii) This law justifies the tide formation on earth due to moon and sun.
iv) This law gives the reason for the movement of the moon around the earth.
v) This law gives the reason of keeping atmosphere close to the earth

8. What is the acceleration of free fall?

The acceleration of free fall is 9.8 m/s2 [on earth]

9. What do we call the gravitational force between the earth and an object?

Weight

10. Amit buys few grams of gold at the poles as per the instruction of one of his friends. He
hands over the same when he meets him at the equator. Will the friend agree with the
weight of gold bought? If not, why? [Hint: The value of g is greater at the poles than at the
equator.]

Since W = m x g and given in the question that value of g is greater at the poles than at the
equator, hence the weight of the same amount of gold will be lesser at the equator than it
was on the poles. Therefore, the friend will not agree with the weight of gold bought.

11. Why will a sheet of paper fall slower than one that is crumpled into a ball?

A greater surface area offers greater resistance and buoyancy same is true in the case of a
sheet of paper that has a larger surface area as compared to paper crumpled into a ball. So
a sheet of paper falls slower.

12. The gravitational force on the surface of the moon is only 1/6 as strong as gravitational
force on the earth. What is the weight in Newtons of a 10 kg object on the moon and on
the earth?
 The value of gravity on earth = is 9.8 m/s2

The value of gravity on moon = 1/6 th of earth = 9.8/6 = 1.63 m/s2

The weight of the object on moon = m x 1.63 = 10 x 1.63 = 16.3 N

The weight of the object on earth = m x 9.8 = 10 x 9.8 = 98 N

13. A ball is thrown vertically upwards with a velocity of 49 m/s. Calculate (i) the maximum
height to which it rises, (ii) the total time it takes to return to the surface of the earth.

Ans.

(i) Initial velocity of ball (u) = 49 m/s at maximum height stone will be at rest so v= 0

v = u + gt
0 = 49 + (-9.8) x t
9.8t = 49
t = 49/9.8 = 5 s

h = ut + ½ gt2 = 49 x 5 – ½ x 9.8 x 25 = 245 – 122.5 = 122.5

(ii) total time taken to return = 5s+ 5s = 10 s

14. A stone is released from the top of a tower of height 19.6 m. Calculate its final velocity.

h = ut + ½ gt2

19.6 = 0 x t x ½ x 9.8 x t2

4.9 t2 = 19.6
t2 = 19.6 / 4.9 = 2
t =2

since v= u + at = 0 + 9.8 x 2 = 19.6 m/s

15. A stone is thrown vertically upward with an initial velocity of 40 m/s. Taking, find the
maximum height reached by the stone. What is the net displacement and the total
distance covered by the stone?

Initial velocity of stone (u) = 40 m/s, at maximum height stone will be at rest. so v= 0
v = u + gt
 0 = 40 + (-10)t
10t = 40
t = 40/10 = 4 s

distance covered /maximum height

h = ut + ½ gt2

= 40 x 4+ ½ x (-10)x 4 x 4 = 160-80 = 80 m

net displacement of stone = 0(thrown upwards then falls back to same place)

total distance covered by the stone = 80 + 80 = 160 m

16. Calculate the force of gravitation between the earth and the Sun, given that the mass of
the earth is 6 x 1024 Kg and of the sun is 2 x 1030 Kg . The average distance between the
two is 1.5 x 1011 Kg.

F = G Mm/d2

= 6.7 x 10-11 x 2 x 1030 x 6 x 1024

[1.5 x 1011]2

= 35.73 x 1021 N

17. A stone is allowed to fall from the top of a tower 100 m high and at the same time,
another stone is projected vertically upwards from the ground with a velocity of 25 m/s.
Calculate when and where the two stones will meet.

Ans. Suppose both the stones will meet after t seconds.

h = ut + ½ gt2
= 0 X t + ½ x 10 x t2
= 5t2

h' = ut + ½ gt2
= 25 X t + ½ x (-10) x t2
= 25t - 5t2

h + h’ = 100 m

5t2 + 25t - 5t2 = 100

t=4s
h = 5t2 = 5x4x4 = 80 m
 18. A ball thrown up vertically returns to the thrower after 6 s. Find (a) the velocity with
which it was thrown up, (b) the maximum height it reaches, and (c) it's position after 4 s.

Ans. (a) Time taken by ball to reach maximum height(t) = 6/2 = 3 s

v = u + gt

0 = u + (-9.8)x3

u = 29.4 m/s (the velocity with which it was thrown up)

(b) The maximum height it reaches: therefore h = ut + ½ gt2

= 29.4 x 3 + ½ x (-9.8) x 32
= 88.2 - 44.1
= 44.1 m

(c) Its position after 4 s will be: Since in first 3 s it will reach the maximum height and in
next 1 s it will start a free fall so, u = 0, t =1

h = ut + ½ gt2
= 0 x t + ½ x 9.8 x 1
= 4.9 m

Therefore, after 4s the position of ball = 44.1 - 4.9 = 39.2 m

OTHER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:

1. Derive an expression for the acceleration due to gravity of the Earth.

2. Show that the weight of the object on the Moon is 1/6 th its weight on the Earth.
3. Why formation of tides does takes place in sea or ocean?
4. Why does a body orbiting in space possess zero weight with respect to a spaceship?

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