PHYSICS IN FOCUS HSC

CHAPTER 1

Gravity
Answers to revision questions
1. Mass is the quantity of matter: it is an absolute measurement of how much substance is in a

body or an object. Weight is the gravitational force acting on a mass in a gravitational eld.
2. The equation used to calculate the universal gravitational force of attraction:

F =

Gm1m 2
d2

Known quantities:
m1 = 1.675 1027 kg
m2 = 1.675 1027 kg
G = 6.67 1011 N m2 kg2
d = 1 1013 m
Unknown: F
Substituting into the equation:
6.67 10 11 1.675 10 27 1.675 10 27
F =
2
1 10 13

= 1.87 1038 N
3. The equation used to calculate the gravitational force acting on the satellite by the Earth:

Gm1m 2
d2
Known quantities:
G = 6.67 10-11
m1 = 6.0 1024 kg
m2 = 150.0 kg
F=

d = 6.378 106 + 2.3 106 m

Unknown: F
Substituting into the equation:
6.67 10 11 6.0 10 24 150.0
F =
2
6.378 106 + 2.3 106 m

= 797 N
4. The equation for the universal gravitational attraction:

F=

Gm1m 2
d2

Initially FI =

Gm1m 2
d2

Where:
G = the universal gravitational constant
m1 = initial mass of object A
m2 = initial mass of object B
d = initial distance between the objects

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CHAPTER 1 ANSWERS

PHYSICS IN FOCUS HSC

After the changes are made, the new force is now expressed as:
MM
Fnew = G 1 2 2
D
G = the universal gravitational constant
M1 = the new mass of object A
M2 = the new mass of object B
D = the new distance between the objects
Given that:
m
M1 = 1
4
m2
2
D = 2d

M2 =

Fnew = G

M1M 2
= G
D2

m1 m 2
4 2

(2d )

m1m 2
= G 82
4d
=G
Fnew =

m1m 2
32d 2

1 .
F
32 I

5. The universal gravitational attraction equation:

F =G

m1m 2
d2

On the Earth: (where m = mass of any person)

g = 9.8 m s2
F = ma = 9.8 m N
On the Moon:
m1 = 7.35 1022 kg
d = 1.738 106 m
F =

6.67 10 11 7.35 10 22 m

(1.738 10 )
6

= 1.6 m N
As seen above, the pull exerted by the moon is much smaller than the Earth, therefore
when a person applies the same force on the moon, they will jump instead.
6. The universal gravitational acceleration equation is:

g =G

M
d2

On the Earth:
M
Let gE = G E2
dE

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CHAPTER 1 ANSWERS

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The unknown planet has:

mass = 10 ME
radius = 4dE
Therefore:
10GM E 5 . M E
G
g=
=
(4d )2 8 d E2
E

Therefore the unknown planet has a gravitational acceleration

5
times that of the Earth.
8

7. According to Newtons second law:

F = ma
The mass of an object remains constant regardless of its location.
For the Earth: FE = maE
For the planet: FP = ma P
Since m is the same:
FP a P 3
=
=
FE aE 1
Therefore the ratio of the weight of this object on the planet Xero to its weight on the
Earth is also 3:1.
8. i. The equator is further away from the centre of the earth than the poles, as the Earth

is elliptical in shape. Therefore according to g = G

M
, as d increases, the gravitational
d2

acceleration decreases.
ii. The rotation of the Earth is the fastest at the equator, that is, it has the greatest
rotational speed. A small proportion of g is required to keep an object in circular
motion (preventing it lifting off the surface), so that the weight force measured is
slightly smaller.
9. Work done = gravitational potential energy

That is, W = E p = mgh

Known quantities:
m = 10 g = 0.01 kg
g = 9.8 m s2
h = 1.2 m
W = 0.01 9.8 1.2
= 0.12 J (0.1176)
10.(a)
N

7N
Slope
8

W sin 8

W  mg

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CHAPTER 1 ANSWERS

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Work done = F d
= (net force) (distance)
Net force = 7 W sin 8
= 7 mg sin 8
= 7 ( 0.39) (9.8) (sin 8 )
= 6.468 N
Therefore, work = 6.468 8 = 52 J
(b) The change in potential energy is 52 J since the work done on the object is translated
to the potential energy gained during this time.
11. Gravitational potential energy:

Ep =

GmM
r

Known quantities:
m = 68 kg
M = 6.0 1024 kg
r = 8848 + 6.378 106 m & 6378000 m

E = 6.67 10

11

E p = E p at the summit E p at the surface

(6.67 10 ) (68) (6.0 10 ) (6.67 10 ) (68) (6.0 10 )

11

E p =

11

24

(8848 + 6378000)

6378000

24

5.91 106 J
12. Work done = change in gravitational potential energy

That is, W = Ep =

GmM
d

Known quantities:
G = 6.67 1011
M = 6.0 1024 kg
m = 0.198 kg
d = 6378000 + 200000 m
d2 = 6378000 + 3500000 m
Ep = Ep at 3500 km Ep at 200 km
= 4.02 106 J
13. The mechanical energy of an object is equal to the sum of its kinetic and potential

energy.
1
E k = mv 2
2

Ep =

GmM
r

Known quantities:
m = 15 tonnes = 15000 kg
v = 250 m s1
G = 6.67 1011
M = 6.0 1024 kg

r = 6.378 106 + 1.02 10 4 m

Ek =

2
1
15000 ( 250)
2

= 468750000 J

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CHAPTER 1 ANSWERS

Ep =

PHYSICS IN FOCUS HSC

6.67 10 11 15000 6.0 10 24

6.378 106 + 1.02 10 4

= 9.39701 1011 J

11
Total E m = 468750000 + 9.39701 10

= 9.39 10 J
11

14.At a point of an innite distance from the Earth, the gravitational eld is zero and an

object will not experience a force. Thus the gravitational potential energy is zero at
innity. Work is to be done (energy input) in order to move an object away from the
Earth, until Ep reaches zero at innity. Hence any point below innity (e.g. near the Earth)
must have a negative energy.
15.
E p versus distance

Surface of
the Earth

D (m)

E p(J)

Negative

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