Roll No.

: Time -
Date : MM - 161

1. Give two characteristics of gravitational force. 1

2. If apple and earth pull each other with equal force, why does earth not move towards apple ? 1

3. List one difference and one similarity between gravitational and inertial mass. 1

4. What are the factors affecting the value of G ? 1

5. The mass of two bodies are doubled and the distance is halved, how will the gravitational force 1
change ?

6. An artificial satellite is at a height of 36,500 km above earth’s surface. What is the work done by 1
earth’s gravitational force in keeping it in its orbit ?

7. Give the S.I. units of ‘g’ and ‘G’. 1

8. Show graphically how g varies as you move from the centre of earth to great heights above the 1
surface.

9. What is the height at which the value of g is the same as at a depth of R/2 ? 1

10. What is the gravitational potential at infinity ? 1

11. A mass thrown up returns to the surface of earth. What is the nature of total energy possessed ? 1

12. Define gravitational potential at a point. 1

13. Is potential energy on the surface of earth always zero ? 1

14. If the choice of origin is shifted, what is the change in (i) Gravitational potential (ii) Potential 1
energy ?

15. Does the escape velocity vary with mass ? 1

16. What is the orbital velocity for a satellite orbiting close to the surface of earth ? 1

17. How escape velocity is related to orbital velocity for orbits close to earth ? 1

18. What is the height at which the satellite is to be parked for it to be a geostationary satellite ? 1

19. What is the basis for the second Law of Kepler ? 1

20. Why does a person in a satellite feels weightlessness ? 1

21. What is parking orbit ? 1

22. What is the gravitational field at a point inside a spherical shell ? 1

23. How the gravitational field at a point inside a solid sphere vary with distance x from its centre, if x 1
 < R and x > R (R-radius) ?

24. What does spring balance measure : Mass or Weight ? 1

25. What is the value of escape velocity from the surface of (i) earth, (ii) moon ? 1

26. What is the reason for absence of atmosphere in some planets ? 1

27. As a spacecraft moves from earth to moon, how does its weight vary ? 1

28. If it is safe to jump from a height of 2 m on the surface of earth, what is its value on the surface of 1
moon ?

29. If the earth stops rotating about its own axis, what is the effect on the value of weight of any 1
object on the surface of earth ?

30. A graph was plotted taking gravitational force (F) along y-axis and the square of the distance (d2) 1
along x-axis, what is the nature of graph ?

31. What is a geostationary satellite ? Is it same as geo-synchronous satellite ? 1

32. Does the speed increase, decrease or remain constant when a planet comes closer to the sun ? 1

33. An astronaut inside a small space ship orbiting around the earth cannot detect gravity. If the 1
space-station orbiting around the earth has a large size, can he hope to detect gravity ?

34. If you compare the gravitational force on the earth due to the sun to that of due to the moon, you 1
would find that the sun's pull is greater than the moon’s pull. However, the tidal effect of the moon’s
pull is greater than the tidal effect of the sun. Why ?

35. Compare the weights of stone when it is 1/2 km above the surface of earth and 1 km below the 1
surface of earth.

36. Does the force of attraction between two bodies depend upon the presence of other bodies and 1
properties of intervening medium ?

37. Draw graph showing the variation of acceleration due to gravity with (a) height above the earth’s 1
surface (b) depth below the earth’s surface.

38. The value of G on the surface of earth is 6.67 × 10−11 Nm2 kg−2. What is its value on the surface 1
of the moon ?

39. What are the conditions under which a rocket fired from the earth, launches an artificial satellite 1
of earth ?

40. Two artificial satellites, one close to the surface and other away are revolving around the earth. 1
Which of them has larger speed ?

41. If the earth's satellite is put into an orbit at a height where resistance due to atmosphere cannot 1
be neglected, how will motion of satellite be affected ?

42. Should the speed of two artificial satellites of the earth having different masses but the same 1
orbital radius, be the same ?

43. What would happen if gravity suddenly disappears ? 1

44. Can a pendulum oscillate in an artificial satellite ? 1

45. A spacecraft consumes more fuel in going from earth to moon than it does on the return trip. 1
Comment on this.
46. Why does the earth have an atmosphere and the moon does not ? 1

47. A small mass is released by an astronaut in a satellite in space. Will it fall on the earth ? 1

48. Why are space crafts usually launched from west to east ? Why is it more advantageous to 1
launch rockets in the equatorial plane ?

49. The masses M in the two figures are identical. Which of the two systems has the smaller 1
gravitational potential energy ? Why ?

50. Can a satellite be in an orbit in a plane not passing through the earth's centre ? Explain your 1
answer.

51. The speed of a plane at the perihelion is vP and the radius at perihelion is rP. At aphelion ra, 1
what will be the speed ?

52. A black hole is a body from whose surface nothing may ever escape. What is the condition for a 1
uniform spherical mass M to be a black hole ? What should be the radius of such a black hole if its
mass is the same as that of the Earth ?

53. If earth be at half of its present distance from the sun, how many days will there be in a year ? 1

54. What is the effect of non-sphericity of the earth on the value of ‘g’ ? 1

55. How does the orbital velocity of a satellite depend on the mass of the satellite ? 1

56. The gravitational Potential energy of a body at a point in a gravitational field of another body is 1
.

What does the negative sign show ?

57. State Newton’s law of gravitation in vector form. 2

58. How can you find the mass of earth, starting from the law of gravitation ? 2

59. A planet reduces its radius by 1% with its mass remaining same. How acceleration due to gravity 2
varies ?

60. What is the gravitational force on a body inside a spherical shell ? Why is it so ? 2

61. Planet Mars has two moons– phobos and deimos. Phobos has a period of 7 hours 39 minutes 2
and orbital radius of 9.4 × 103 km. Calculate the mass of Mars. (G = 6.67 × 10–11 Nm2 kg–2)

62. What is the angular velocity at any point on the equator so that the body feels weightlessness ? 2

63. What is gravitational potential energy at a point ? How much of work is done in shifting a mass 2
from the surface to a height equal to its radius ?

64. If suddenly the gravitational force of attraction between the earth and a satellite revolving around 2
it becomes zero, what will happen to the satellite ?

65. Is it possible to place a satellite, so that it is always over New Delhi ? Why ? 2

66. What is escape velocity. Derive an expression for the same. 2

67. Define gravitational field strength. What is the field at a point distance r from a mass M ? 2

68. Show graphically how gravitational field strength varies with distance from the centre of earth, 2
outwards. Give the relation also.

69. The value of acceleration due to gravity at the moon is 1/6th of the value of g at the surface of 2
the earth, and the diameter of the moon is 1/4th of the diameter of the earth. Compare the ratio of
the escape velocities.

70. The change in the value of g at a height h above the earth is same as at a depth d below it. If h 2
and d are small as compared to the radius of the earth, what is the ratio (h/d) ?

71. The radius of the earth is reduced by 4%. The mass of the earth remains unchanged. What will 2
be the change in escape velocity ?

72. If a planet existed whose mass and radius were both half of those of the earth, what would be 2
the value of the acceleration due to gravity on its surface as compared to what it is on the earth’s
surface ?

73. A high jumper can jump 1.5 m on earth. With the same effort, how high will he be able to jump on 2
a planet whose density is one-third and radius is one-fourth of that of the earth ?

74. Objects at rest on the earth’s surface move in circular paths with a period of 24 hours. Are they 2
in orbit in the same sense that an earth’s satellite is in orbit ? Why not ? What would the length of
the day have to be to put such objects in a true orbit ?

75. While approaching a planet circling a distant star, a space traveller determines the planet's 2
radius to be half that of the earth. After landing on the surface, he finds the acceleration due to
gravity to be twice that on the surface of the earth. Find the ratio of the mass of the planet to that of
the earth.

76. The mass and diameter of a planet are twice of those of the earth. What will be the period of 2
oscillation of a pendulum on this planet, if it is a second’s pendulum on the earth ?

77. Find the potential energy of a system of four particles placed at the vertices of a square of side l. 2
Also, obtain the potential at the centre of the square.

78. Satellite A is in a certain circular orbit about a planet, while satellite B is in a larger circular orbit. 2
Which satellite has (i) the longer period and (ii) the greater speed ?

79. If the radius of the earth were increased by a factor of 3, by what factor would its density have to 2
be changed to keep ‘g’ the same ?

80. State Kepler’s laws of planetary motion and deduce Newton’s Law of gravitation from them. 2

81. Discuss the variation of ‘g’ with depth. What happens to ‘g’ at the centre of earth ? 2

82. If the earth has a mass nine times and radius twice that of the planet Mars, calculate the 2
maximum velocity required by a rocket to pull out of the gravitational force of Mars. Given escape
velocity on the surface of earth is 11.2 km/sec.

83. Discuss the variation of ‘g’ 2

(i) due to height
(ii) due to depth.

84. The radii of two planets are R and 2R respectively and their densities ρ and ρ/2 respectively. 2
What is the ratio of acceleration due to gravity at their surfaces ?

What is the effect of rotation on the value of ‘g’ ? Derive the relation. 3
86. A simple pendulum is suspended from the roof of a trolley which moves in a horizontal direction 1
with an acceleration a, then the time period is given by

87. An artificial earth satellite of mass m is circling round the earth in an orbit of radius R. If the mass 1
of the earth is M, then the total energy of the satellite is:

88. The time period of a second’s pendulum in a satellite is 1

(a) zero
(b) 2
(c) infinity
(d) depends on mass of body.

89. The largest and shortest distance of earth from the sun are r1 and r2. Its distance from the sun 1
when it is perpendicular to the major axis of the orbit drawn from the sun is

90. The mean radius of the earth is R, its angular speed about its own axis is ω and the acceleration 1
due to gravity at earth surface is g. The cube of radius of orbit of ‘geostationary satellite’ will be

(a) (R2g/ω)

(b) (R2ω/g)

(c) (Rg/ ω2)

(d) (R2g/ω2)

91. The distance of two planets (neptune and saturn) from sun are 1013 and 1012 m respectively. 1
The ratio of time period of the planets is

92. The orbital speed of an artificial satellite in a circular orbit just above the earth’s surface is v. For 1
a satellite orbiting at an altitude of half the earth’s radius the orbital speed is
93. The change in potential energy, when a body of mass m is raised to a height nR from earth’s 1
surface is (R = radius of earth)

94. If g is the acceleration due to gravity on the earth’s surface, the gain in the potential energy of an 1
object of mass m raised from the surface of earth to a height equal to the radius R of the earth is

95. The period of revolution of a certain planet in an orbit of radius R is T. Its period of revolution in 1
an orbit of radius 4R will be

(a) 2T
(b) 2 √2 T
(c) 4 T
(d) 8 T

96. If the radius of earth were to increase by 1%, its mass remaining the same, the acceleration due 1
to gravity on the surface of earth will

(a) increase by 1%
(b) decrease by 2%
(c) decrease by 1%
(d) increase by 2%

97. The escape velocity or earth is Ve. If the mass of a certain planet is 3 times and radius 3 times 1
than that of the earth, then the escape velocity from the planet will be

(a) 3Ve
(b) 6Ve
(c) 3 Ve
(d) Ve

98. A satellite orbits around the earth in a circular orbit with a speed v and orbital radius r. If it losses 1
some energy, then v and r changes as

(a) v decreases and r increases.

(b) both v and r decreases.

(c) v increases and r decreases.
(d) both v and r increases.

99. Two spheres of masses m and M are situated in air and the gravitational force between them is 1
F. The space around the masses is now filled with liquid of specific gravity 3. The gravitational force
 will now be

(a) 3F
(b) F
(c) F/3
(d) F/9

100.A satellite S is moving in an elliptical orbit around the earth. The mass of the satellite is very 1
small compared to the mass of the earth.

(a) The acceleration of S is always directed towards the centre of the earth.
(b) The angular momentum of S about the centre of the earth changes in direction but its
magnitude remains constant.
(c) The total energy of S varies periodically with time.
(d) The linear momentum of S remains constant in magnitude.
101.A satellite is orbiting just above the surface of a planet of average density ρ with period T. If G is 1
the universal gravitational constant, the quantity T2r is equal to
(a) 4π2G
(b) 4π2/G
(c) 4π2/G
(d) 1/G

102. A satellite is moving in a circular orbit at a height 100 km above the earth’s surface. A person 1
inside the satellite feels weightless because

(a) acceleration due to gravity is almost zero at such a height.

(b) the earth does not exert any force on the person.
(c) the centripetal force makes the satellite move in a circular orbit.
(d) the forces due to earth and moon are almost compensated at such a height.

103.The density of a newly discovered planet is twice that of earth. The acceleration due to gravity 1
at the surface of the planet is equal to that at the surface of the earth. If the radius of the earth is
surface of the earth. If the radius of the earth is R, the radius of the planet would be

(a) 2R

(b) 4R

(c) R/4

(d) R/2

104.Average density of the earth 1

(a) is directly proportional to g.

(b) is inversely proportional to g.
(c) is a complex function of g.
(d) does not depend on g.

105.In case of earth 1

(a) potential is minimum at the centre.

(b) potential is zero, both at centre and infinity.
(c) field is zero both at centre and infinity.
(d) potential is same, both at centre and infinity but no zero.

106.Which of the following statements are true about acceleration due to gravity? 1
(a) ‘g’ is zero at the centre of earth.
(b) ‘g’ decreases if earth stops rotating on its axis.
(c) ‘g’ decreases in moving away from the centre if r > R.
(d) ‘g’ decreases in moving away from the centre if r < R.

107.If two satellites of different masses are revolving in the same orbit, they have same 1

(a) speed
(b) energy
(c) time period
(d) angular momentum

108.Choose the correct statement/(s) 1

(a) Weight of a body is greater on planes and less on hill tops.

(b) Weight of a body is greater at the poles and less at the equator.
(c) Weight of a body on the moon is less than that on the earth.
(d) Weight of a body on the moon is same as that at a height, equal to radius of moon from the surface
of earth.

109.A ring has a total mass M but non-uniformly distributed over its circumference. The radius of the 1
ring is R. A point mass m is placed at the centre of the ring. Work done in taking away this point
mass from centre to infinity is

110.Suppose universal gravitational constant starts to decrease, then 1

(a) length of the day, on earth, will decrease.

(b) length of the year will decrease.
(c) earth will follow a spiral path of increasing radius.
(d) kinetic energy of earth will decrease.

111.The earth is an approximate sphere. If the interior contained matter which is not of the same 1
density everywhere, then on the surface of the earth, the acceleration due to gravity

(a) will be directed towards the centre but not the same everywhere.
(b) will have the same value everywhere but not directed towards the centre.
(c) will be same everywhere in magnitude directed towards the centre.
(d) cannot be zero at any point.

112.As observed from earth, the sun appears to move in an approximate circular orbit. For the 1
motion of another planet like mercury as observed from earth, this would

(a) be similarly true.

(b) not be true because the force between earth and mercury is not inverse square law.
(c) not be true because the major gravitational force on mercury is due to sun.
(d) not be true because mercury is influenced by forces other than gravitational forces.

113.Both earth and moon are subject to the gravitational force of the sun. As observed from the sun, 1
the orbit of the moon

(a) will be elliptical.

(b) will not be strictly elliptical because the total gravitational force on it is not central.
(c) is not elliptical but will necessarily be a closed curve.
(d) deviates considerably from being elliptical due to influence of planets other than earth.

114.In our solar system, the inter-planetary region has chunks of matter (much smaller in size 1
compared to planets) called asteroids. They

(a) will not move around the sun since they have very small masses compared to sun.
(b) will move in an irregular way because of their small masses and will drift away into outer space.
(c) will move around the sun in closed orbits but not obey Kepler’s laws.
(d) will move in orbits like planets and obey Kepler’s laws.

115.Choose the wrong option. 1

(a) Inertial mass is a measure of difficulty of accelerating a body by an external force whereas the
gravitational mass is relevant in determining the gravitational force on it by an external mass.
(b) That the gravitational mass and inertial mass are equal is an experimental result.
(c) That the acceleration due to gravity on earth is the same for all bodies is due to the equality
of gravitational mass and inertial mass.
(d) Gravitational mass of a particle like proton can depend on the presence of neighbouring
heavy objects but the inertial mass cannot.

116.Particles of masses 2M, m and M are respectively at points A, B and C with AB = 1/2 (BC). m is 1
muchmuch smaller than M and at time t = 0, they are all at rest (Fig. 8.1). At subsequent times
before any collision takes place:

(a) m will remain at rest.

(b) m will move towards M.

(c) m will move towards 2M.

(d) m will have oscillatory motion.

117.If g denotes the value of acceleration due to gravity at a point distant r from the centre of earth 1
of radius R. If r < R, then

(a) g ∝ r2

(b) g ∝ r

(c) g ∝ 1/r2
(d) g ∝ 1/r

118.The radii of circular orbits of two satellites around the earth are in the ratio 1 : 4, then ratio of 1
their respective periods of revolution is:

(a) 1 : 4
(b) 4 : 1
(c) 1 : 8
(d) 8 : 1

119.The gravitational potential at a plane varies inversely proportional to x2(i.e., V = k/x2), then 1
gravitational field intensity at the place is

(a) –k/x
(b) k/x
(c) –2k/x3
(d) 2k/x3

120.If the acceleration due to gravity at earth is ‘g’ and mass of earth is 80 times that of moon and 1
radius of earth is 4 times that of moon, the value of ‘g’ at the surface of moon will be

(a) g
(b) g/20
(c) g/5
(d) 320/g

121.The gravitational field due to a mass distribution is I = K/r3 in the X-direction. (K is a constant). 1
Taking the gravitational potential to be zero at infinity, its value at a distance x is:

(a) K/x
(b) K/2x
(c) K/x2
(d) K/2x2

122.Escape velocity of a planet is ve. If radius of the planet remains same and mass becomes 4 1
times, the escape velocity becomes

(a) 4 ve

(b) 2 ve

(c) ve
(d) ve/2

123.The escape speed from the surface of earth is ve. The escape speed from the surface of a 1
planet whose mass and radius are 3 times those of the earth will be:

(a) ve
(b) 3ve
(c) 9ve
(d) 27ve

124.What is the weight of a 700 gm of body on a planet whose mass is 1/7th of that of earth and 1
radius is 1/2 of earth.

(a) 400 gm
(b) 300 gm
(c) 700 gm
(d) 500 gm

125.If both the mass and the radius of the earth decreases by 1% 1

(a) the escape velocity would increase.

(b) the acceleration due to gravity would increases.
(c) the escape velocity would decrease.
(d) the acceleration due to gravity would decrease.

126.A body of mass m is placed on earth surface which is taken from earth surface to a height of h = 1
3R, then change in gravitational potential energy is
127.Two satellites of masses m1 and m2(m1 > m2) are revolving round the earth in circular orbits of 1
radii r1 and r2(r1 > r2) respectively. Which of the following statements is true regarding their speeds
v1 and v2.

(a) v1 > v2

(b) v1 < v2

(c) v1 = v2

(d)

128.The time period of an earth satellite in circular orbit is independent of 1

(a) the mass of the satellite.

(b) radius of its orbit.
(c) both the mass of satellite and radius of the orbit.
(d) neither the mass of satellite nor the radius of the orbit.

129.Which of the following is true for a satellite in an orbit? 1

(a) It is a freely falling body.

(b) It suffers an acceleration.
(c) It does not require energy for its motion in the orbit.
(d) Its speed is constant.

130.Consider a planet moving in an elliptical planet orbit round the sun. The work done on the planet 1
by the gravitational force of the sun

(a) is zero in some part of the orbit.

(b) is zero in no part of the motion.
(c) is zero in any small part of the orbit.
(d) is zero in one complete revolution.

131.Satellites orbiting the earth have finite life and sometimes debris of satellites fall to the earth. 1
This is because,

(a) the solar cells and batteries in satellites run out.

(b) the laws of gravitation predict a trajectory spiralling inwards.
(c) of viscous forces causing the speed of satellite and hence height to gradually decrease.
(d) of collisions with other satellites.