GRAVITATION

1. Semi-major axis of the elliptical path traced by the Earth around the sun is (aE ) 15 10 m
10

where as that by the Neptune is (aN ) 450 10 m . Find the approximate time taken for one
10

revolution of the Neptune around the sun.

(1) 0.24 Earth years (2) 12 Earth years
(3) 165 Earth years (4) 248 Earth years
2. The planet mercury is revolving in an elliptical orbit around the sun as shown in the figure.
Kinetic energy of mercury at point P is denoted by Kp. Then

1) 2)
3) 4)
3. Six particles each of mass M are placed at the vertices of a regular hexagon of side length L.
Find the gravitational potential energy of the system.[Consider potential energy at infinity as
zero]

1) 2) 3) 4)
4. If ‘A’ is area velocity of a planet of mass M, the magnitude of its angular momentum is
1) M/A 2) 2MA 3) A2M 4) AM2
5. The distance of Neptune and Saturn from the Sun 1013 m and 1012m are respectively and their
periodic times are T1 and T2 are respectively. If their orbits are assumed to be circular, the
value of T2/T1 is
1
1) 100 2) 10 √ 10 3) 4) 10
10 √10
6. A binary star system consists of two stars of masses M1 and M2 revolving in
circular orbits of radii R1 and R2 respectively. If their respective time periods are T1 and T2

1) T1>T2 if R1>R2 2) T1>T2 if M1>M2 3) T1= T2 4)

7. A satellite is revolving around a planet of mass ‘m’ in an elliptical orbit of semi major axis ‘a’.
The orbital velocity of the satellite at a distance ‘r’ from the focus will be

1) 2) 3) 4)
8. Two similar rings of mass M and radius R each are placed with centers (2R,0,0) and (0,2R,0)
with axis along X-axis and Y-axis respectively. Find the work done in moving a particle of
mass m from (2R,0,0) to (0,2R,0).

1) zero 2) 3) 4)
9. A point P(√ 3R,0,0) lies on the axis of an isolated ring of mass ‘M’ and radius ‘R’. The ring is
located in y-z plane with its centre at origin ‘O’. A small particle of mass ‘m’ starts from ‘P’
and reaches ‘O’ under gravitational attraction only. Its speed at ‘O’ will be

1) 2) 3) 4)
10.A rocket is fired vertically from Mars surface with 2km/s. If 20% of its initial kinetic energy is
lost due to atmospheric resistance on Mars, then find the maximum height that the rocket
reaches from its surface(mass of Mars: ; radius of Mars: 3400 km)
1) 2000 km 2) 1500 km 3) 1000 km 4) 500 km
11.A stone is dropped from a height equal to nR, where R is the radius of Earth, from the surface
of the Earth. The velocity of the stone on reaching the surface of the Earth is [neglect air
resistance]

1) 2) 3) 4)
12.The radius of a planet is R. A satellite revolves around it in a circle of radius r with angular
velocity 0. The acceleration due to the gravity on planet’s surface is

1) 2) 3) 4)
13.A satellite of mass m, initially at rest on the earth, is launched into a circular orbit at a height
equal to the radius of the earth. The minimum kinetic energy required is

1) mgR 2) mgR 3) mgR 4) mgR

14.A particle is projected from the mid-point of the line joining two fixed particles each of mass
m. If the distance of separation between the fixed particles is l, the minimum velocity of
projection of the particle so as to escape is equal to

1) 2) 3) 4)
15.Consider two configurations of a system of three particles of masses m, 2m and 3m. The work
done by external agent in changing the configuration of the system from figure (i) to figure (ii)
is

1) zero 2) 3) 4)
16.Two air bubbles in water
1) Attract each other
2) repel each other
3) do not exert any force on each other
 4) May attract or repel depending upon the distance between the distance between them
17.By what percent, the energy of a satellite has to be increased to shift it from an orbit of radius

R to ?
1) 66.7% 2) 33.3% 3)15% 4)20.3%
18.The self gravitational potential energy of a spherical shell of mass M and radius R is

1) 2) 3) 4)
19.A body of mass m is kept at a height h above the surface of earth, if the radius of the
Earth is R and its mass is M, the approximate value of potential energy of the Earth-body
system (reference position being infinity) is

1) 2) 3) 4)
20.A satellite can be in a geostationary orbit around a planet at a distance r from the centre of the
planet. If the angular velocity of the planet about its axis doubles, a satellite can now be in a
geostationary orbit around the planet if its distance from the centre of the planet is
o 2 −1 2 −1
1) 2)
NaCl 3) 25 C 4) 5×10 Ω cm eq
21.Three solid spheres each of mass ‘m’ and radius ‘R’ are released from the vertices of an
equilateral triangle of side length ‘d’. The speed of any one sphere just before the collision is,
3 −1 2 −1 4 −1 2 −1 5 −1 2 −1
1) 6×10 Ω cm eq 2) 7×10 Ω cm eq 3) 8×10 Ω cm eq 4)
22.A satellite is moving in a circular orbit round the Earth with a diameter of 2R, where R is the
radius of the earth. At a certain point, a rocket fixed to the satellite is fired such that it
increases the velocity 2 times of its orbital velocity to the satellite tangentially. The resulting
orbit of satellite would be
1) hyperbolic orbit
2) circular orbit with diameter greater than 2R
3) elliptical orbit with minimum distance from the centre of earth equal to R
4) elliptical orbit with maximum distance from the centre of earth equal to R
23.Gravitational potential versus distance r graph is represented in figure. The magnitude of
gravitational field intensity is equal to

1) 8 N/ Kg 2) 4 N/kg 3) 6 N/kg 4) 2 N/kg

24.The escape velocity of a body projected vertically upwards from the Earth’s surface is 11.2
km/s. If the body is projected in the direction making an angle of 300 with the vertical, its
escape velocity in this case will be:
 1) NaCl km/s 2) km/s 3) km/s 4) km/s
25.A particle of mass m is transferred from the centre of the base of a uniform solid hemisphere
of mass M and radius R to infinity. The work performed in the process by the gravitational
force exerted on the particle by the hemisphere is:

2) 3) 4)
1)
26.A satellite S is moving in an elliptical orbit around the earth. The mass of the satellite is very
small compared to the mass of the earth
1) the acceleration of S is always directed towards the centre of the earth
2) the angular momentum of S about the centre of the earth changes in direction, but its
magnitude remains constant
3) the total mechanical energy of S varies periodically with time

4) the linear momentum of S remains constant in magnitude

27.
Three particles of mass m each are placed at three corners of an equilateral triangle of side ‘a’.

The work which should be done on this system to increase the length of each side of the

triangle to ‘2a’ is

1) 2) 3) 4)
th
28.Suppose the gravitational force varies inversely as the n power of distance. Then the time
period of a planet that is in a circular orbit of radius R around the Sun will be proportional to:

1) 2) 3) 4)
29.A satellite of mass ‘m’, revolving in a circular orbit of radius ‘R’ round the Earth of mass ‘M’
has a total energy ‘E’(magnitude). Then its angular momentum will be
1) 2) 3) 4)
30.A shell of mass M and radius R has a point mass m placed at a distance r from the centre. The
gravitational potential energy U (r) vs r will be [assume potential energy at infinity to be zero]

1) 2)
 3) 4)
31.If , the orbit will be:
1) straight line 2) parabolic 3) elliptical 4) hyperbolic
32.A sphere of mass M and radius R2 has a concentric cavity of radius R1 as shown in figure. The
force F exerted by the sphere on a particle of mass m located at a distance r from the centre of
sphere varies as (0  r  )

1) 2) 3) 4)
33.A planet of radius R has an acceleration due to gravity of gs on its surface. A deep smooth

tunnel is dug on this planet, radially inward, to reach a point P located at a distance of
from the centre of the planet. Assume that the planet has uniform density. The kinetic
energy required to be given to a small body of mass m, projected radially outward from P, so
that it gains a maximum altitude equal to the thrice the radius of the planet from its surface,
is equal to

1) 2) 3) 4)
34.A uniform solid sphere of radius R has a mass M.A spherical portion of the sphere centered at
distance R/2 from the centre C of the sphere and of radius R/2 is cut and removed. The force
of gravity due to the remaining mass of the sphere on unit mass at a point P at a distance 2R
from C along CO will be (in magnitude)
 R

C

O
P

2) 3) 4)
1)
35.A point mass m is released from rest at a distance of 3R from the centre of a thin walled
hollow sphere of radius R and mass M as shown. The hollow sphere is fixed in position and
the only force on the point mass is the gravitational attraction of the hollow sphere. There is a
very small hole on the surface of the hollow sphere through which the point mass falls as
shown. The speed of point mass when it passes through a point P at a distance R/2 from centre
of sphere, is
m

3R


P

2GM 5GM 25GM 4GM

3R 2) 3R 3) 24R 4) 3R
1)
36.In order to make the effective acceleration due to gravity equal to zero at the equator, the
2
angular velocity of rotation of the earth about its axis should be (g  10 ms and radius of earth is
6400 kms)
1 1 1
1 rad sec 1 rad sec 1 rad sec 1
1) 0 rad sec 2) 800 3) 80 4) 8
37.Two bodies of masses m1 and m 2 are initially at rest at infinite distance apart. They are then
allowed to move towards each other under mutual gravitational attraction. Their relative
velocity of approach at a separation distance r between them is
1/2 1/2 1/2
 (m1  m 2 ) 
1/2  2G  G  G 
2G   r (m1  m2 )   2r (m1  m2 )   r (m1  m2 ) 
1)  r  2)   3)   4)  

38.The density of the core of a planet is and that of the outer part(shell) is . The radii of the
core and that of the planet are R and 2R respectively. The acceleration due to gravity at the
surface of the planet is same as at a depth R from the outer surface of the planet. The ratio of
 1
2

1) 2) 3) 4)
39.Gravitational potential on the surface of an isolated uniform solid sphere of mass M and radius
R is found to be . A spherical cavity having radius R/2 is created inside the sphere which is
touching the surface of original sphere. The cavity is then filled with material having density
16 times that of original sphere. A,B,C and D are consecutive points as shown in the figure
each R/2 apart. Gravitational potential at D is

1) 2) 3) 4) zero.
40.A uniform thin rod of mass m and length R is placed normally on surface of earth as shown.
The mass of earth is M and its radius is R. Then the magnitude of gravitational force exerted
by earth on the rod is

1) 2) 3) 4)
41.A certain quaternary star system consists of three stars, each of mass m, moving in same
circular orbit of radius r about a stationary central star of mass M. The three identical stars
orbit in same sense and are symmetrically located with respect to each other (The centre of all
stars lie in one plane). Considering gravitational force of all remaining bodies on every star,
the time period of each of three stars is :

2) 3) 4)
1)

42.A satellite is moved from one circular orbit around the earth, to another of lesser
radius. Which of the following statement is true?
 1) The kinetic energy of satellite increases and the gravitational potential energy of
satellite-earth system increases;
2) The kinetic energy of satellite increases and the gravitational potential energy of
satellite-earth system decreases
3) The kinetic energy of satellite decreases and the gravitational potential energy of
satellite-earth system decreases
4) The kinetic energy of satellite decreases and the gravitational potential energy of
satellite-earth system increases.
43.A solid sphere of uniform density and radius 4 unit is located with its centre at the origin of
coordinates, O. Two spheres of equal radii of 1 unit, with their centres at A(-2, 0, 0) and B(2,
0, 0) respectively, are taken out of solid sphere, leaving behind spherical cavities as shown in
figure. Choose the incorrect statement

1) The gravitational field due to this object at the origin is ZERO.

2) The gravitational field at the point B(2, 0, 0) is ZERO.
3) The gravitational potential is the same at all points of the circle .
4) The gravitational potential is the same at all points on the circle .
44.A skylab of mass m kg is first launched from the surface of the earth in a circular orbit of
radius 2R (from the centre of the earth) and then it is shifted from this circular orbit to anther
circular orbit of radius 3R. The minimum energy required to place the lab in the first orbit and
to shift the lab from first orbit to the second orbit are:

1) 2) 3) 4)
45.A system of binary stars of masses and are moving in circular orbits of radii and
respectively. If and are the time periods of masses and respectively, then

1) 2) 3) 4)
46.Four particles, each of mass M and equidistant from each other, move along a circle of radius
R under the action of their mutual gravitational attraction. The speed of each particle is

1) 2) 3) 4)
 KEY

01-10 3 3 1 2 3 3 1 1 1 4
11-20 3 4 4 4 3 1 2 2 2 3
21-30 4 1 1 1 3 1 2 1 3 4
31-40 3 2 3 2 4 2 2 3 3 1
41-50 2 2 2 2 4 4