IBPhysics: HLDPTopic Questions6. Circular Motion & Gravitation 6.2 Newton’s Law of Gravitation

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First teaching 2014

Last exams 2024

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Newton’s Law of Gravitation (DP IB Physics: HL)

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6.2 Newton’s Law of Gravitation

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6.2 Newton’s Law of Gravitation

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1
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What is the correct relationship between the gravitational force and the distance between two point masses?

  • F proportional to 1 over G

  • F proportional to 1 over m

  • F proportional to 1 over r squared

  • F proportional to r squared

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2
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The force, F between two point masses is 10 N. The distance, r between the two masses is doubled. 

What is the new force between the two masses?

  • 2.5 N

  • 5 N

  • 20 N

  • 100 N

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3
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The gravitational force, FG as shown on the diagram, keeps the Earth orbiting the Sun in a circular orbit.

6-2-newtons-law-of-gravitation-sl-mcqs-easy-q3-question

What type of force is FG?

  • Electrostatic force

  • Centripetal force

  • Centrifugal force

  • Contact force

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4
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Which expression best describes the relationship between the orbital time period, T and the orbital radius, r?

  • T cubed proportional to r squared

  • T squared equals r cubed

  • T squared proportional to 1 over r cubed

  • T squared proportional to r cubed

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5
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Which of the following is not an equation which can be used to calculate g, the gravitational field strength?

  • g equals F over m

  • g equals fraction numerator G M over denominator r squared end fraction

  • g equals F m

  • g equals fraction numerator w e i g h t over denominator m a s s end fraction

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6
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Which of the following statements about gravitational force is true?

  • Gravitational force has a finite range

  • A greater gravitational force is exerted on objects with larger mass

  • On planets with a large value of g, the gravitational force per unit mass is smaller than on planets with a smaller value of g

  • An object's mass changes depending on the gravitational field strength at that point

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7
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An alien of mass 100 kg lives on a planet with a gravitational field strength of 50 N kg−1. 

What is the weight of the alien on this planet?

  • 5000 N

  • 1000 N

  • 0.05 N

  • 100 N

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8
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A commercial low-orbit space flight carries a passenger of mass 70 kg.

What is the approximate gravitational force of attraction between the Earth and the passenger?

  • 0 N

  • 7 N

  • 700 N

  • 7000 N

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9
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A planet has twice the radius of the Earth and 4 times the mass. Assume the planet is spherical and of uniform density.

If the magnitude of the gravitational field strength on Earth is g, what is the magnitude of the gravitational field strength on the surface of the planet?

  • 4g

  • 8g

  • 2g

  • g

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10
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Which graph, plotted on logarithmic axes, shows Kepler's Third Law for the planets in our Solar System?

  • 6-2-newtons-law-of-gravitation-sl-mcqs-easy-q10-answer-a

  • 6-2-newtons-law-of-gravitation-sl-mcqs-easy-q10-answer-b

  • 6-2-newtons-law-of-gravitation-sl-mcqs-easy-q10-answer-c

  • 6-2-newtons-law-of-gravitation-sl-mcqs-easy-q10-answer-d

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1
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The mass of a potential landing module heading for Jupiter is 4000 kg. The gravitational field strength on Jupiter is roughly 2.5 times that on Earth. What is the weight of the landing module on Earth?

  • 4000 N

  • 100 000 N

  • 10 000 N

  • 40 000 N  

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2
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A planet has triple the mass of Earth and a third of its radius. What is the gravitational field strength on the surface of the planet?

  • 10 N kg-1

  • 270 N kg-1

  • 90 N kg-1

  • 240 N kg-1

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3
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The diagram below shows three uniform masses in a straight line.

q13_newtons-law-of-gravitation_ib-sl-physics-mcq

The resultant gravitational force on the 1 kg mass is zero if the distance x is:

  • 45 over 7 straight m

  • 45 m

  • 27 over 5 straight m

  • 35 m

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4
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The gravitational force between two identical uniform spheres of mass M is F when the distance between them d.

q14_newtons-law-of-gravitation_ib-sl-physics-mcq

If the radius of each sphere is x, what is the correct expression for mass, M?

  • fraction numerator straight F left parenthesis d plus 2 x right parenthesis squared over denominator straight G end fraction

  • square root of fraction numerator straight F d squared over denominator straight G end fraction end root

  • square root of fraction numerator straight F left parenthesis d plus 2 x right parenthesis over denominator straight G end fraction end root

  • square root of fraction numerator straight F left parenthesis d plus 2 x right parenthesis squared over denominator straight G end fraction end root

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5
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A satellite of mass m is placed in a geostationary orbit. If the Earth’s angular velocity is ω rad s–1, what is the circumference of the satellite’s orbit?

  • open parentheses fraction numerator G M over denominator omega squared end fraction close parentheses to the power of 1 third end exponent

  • 2 straight pi square root of GMm over straight omega squared end root

  • 2 straight pi open parentheses fraction numerator G M over denominator straight omega squared end fraction close parentheses

  • 2 straight pi open parentheses fraction numerator G M over denominator straight omega squared end fraction close parentheses to the power of 1 third end exponent

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6
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A spherical planet of uniform density has two times the mass of the Earth and three times the average radius. The magnitude of the gravitational field strength at the surface of the Earth is g. What is the gravitational field strength at the surface of the planet?

  • 3 over 4 g

  • 2 over 3 g

  • 2 over 9 g

  • 18g

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7
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The inverse square law means that halving the radius of a planet results in quadrupling the gravitational field strength at its surface.

The centres of two planets are separated by a distance R. The gravitational force between the two planets is F. What will the force between the planets be when their separation increases to 4R?

  • F over 16

  • 4F

  • F over 4

  • F

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8
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A mass at point P gives rise to a gravitational field strength g at point X as shown.

q18_1_newtons-law-of-gravitation_ib-sl-physics-mcq

An identical mass is placed at point Q as shown.

q18_2_newtons-law-of-gravitation_ib-sl-physics-mcq

What is the resultant gravitational field strength at X in this new situation?

  • zero

  • between g and zero

  • between 2g and g 

  • greater than 2g

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9
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A spacecraft travels away from Earth in a straight line with its motors shut down. At one instant, the speed of the spacecraft is 5.7 km s-1. After a time of 1000 s, the speed is 5.2 km s-1. The gravitational field strength acting on the spacecraft during this time interval is:

  • –5 × 10–4 N kg–1

  • 5 × 101 N kg–1

  • –5 × 10–1 N kg–1

  • –1 × 101 N kg–1

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10
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Which of the following statements about uniform gravitational fields is incorrect?

  • The field strength is equal at every point in a uniform gravitational field

  • The acceleration of freefalling bodies is dependent on their mass

  • The field lines in a uniform gravitational field are parallel to each other  

  • There is a uniform gravitational field near the Earth’s surface

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