Gravitational force multiple choice question

In summary: Choosing "C" for an answer would still be correct, although "C" is incorrect for this question because gravitational force is directly proportional to the mass and radius of the Earth.
  • #1
Inertialforce
68
2

Homework Statement


Which of the following is a correct statement about gravitational force?
A. It is applicable only to our solar system.
B. It is both an attractive and repulsive force.
C. It is directly proportional to the product of the masses involved.
D. It is directly proportional to both the mass and radius of the earth.




The Attempt at a Solution


The answer I got for this question is "C" because it seems to be the most correct out of the four possible choices but I was just wondering I am correct because:

For:

A) It cannot only be applicable to our solar system because we have not yet discovered or know enough of other solar systems to make this assumption therefore "A" is wrong.

B)Gravitational force is defined as an attractive force emitted by particles that attracts other particles, so therefore I am guessing, it cannot be a repulsive force therefore "B" is wrong.

However I have heard somewhere that a gravitational force that is repulsive does exist in dark matter, so I was just wondering if this could make "B" correct?

C)Is what I guess to be right.

D)Gravitational force exists on other planets also, therefore it cannot be possible that it is directly proportional to both the mass and radius of Earth in every case, so "D" is wrong.
 
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  • #2
Your choice is correct.
 
  • #3
rl.bhat said:
Your choice is correct.

I just have one question, I just happened upon a site that has the exact same question with the exact same choices and what they put as the correct answer is "D". I was just wondering if "D" is really the correct answer and why it is if it is the correct choice? Thanks for your help though, I really appreciate it.
 
  • #4
Problem I have with answer D being right is that I would assume "gravity force" is a general term, not Earth specific.Secondly, it should be inversely proportional, as the gravity force goes down as you go farther out from the center of gravity, or in other words, having a larger Earth radius.
 
  • #5
aerospaceut10 said:
Problem I have with answer D being right is that I would assume "gravity force" is a general term, not Earth specific.


Secondly, it should be inversely proportional, as the gravity force goes down as you go farther out from the center of gravity, or in other words, having a larger Earth radius.

Now that you mention it, yeah that would be another reason why "D" should not be the right answer.

I know that this is a multiple choice question and that there is only one right answer (and the answer is apparently "D" for some strange reason) but I chose choice "C" would choosing "C" for an answer be correct still or is "C" incorrect for this question?
 

1. What is the definition of gravitational force?

Gravitational force is a force of attraction that exists between any two objects with mass. It is responsible for keeping planets in orbit around the sun and for the movement of objects on Earth.

2. What is the formula for calculating gravitational force?

The formula for calculating gravitational force is F = G * (m1 * m2) / r^2, where F is the force, G is the gravitational constant, m1 and m2 are the masses of the two objects, and r is the distance between the two objects.

3. How does distance affect gravitational force?

Gravitational force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between two objects. This means that as the distance between two objects increases, the gravitational force between them decreases.

4. How does mass affect gravitational force?

The greater the mass of an object, the greater the gravitational force it exerts on other objects. This means that objects with larger masses will have a stronger gravitational pull than objects with smaller masses.

5. How does location affect gravitational force?

The location of an object can affect gravitational force because the strength of gravity varies depending on the mass and distance of the objects involved. For example, the gravitational force on Earth is stronger than the gravitational force on the moon because Earth has a larger mass and is closer to other objects with mass, such as the sun.

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