Gravitation - NEET Physics Questions
← All Chapters

Gravitation

Question 1: difficult

If 100 kg mass is split into two parts and then seperated by certain distance. then what ratio of masses so that gravitational force between them is maximum :

1. 2/3
2. 1/2
3. 1
4. 1/3
View Answer

The gravitational force between two masses \( m_1 \) and \( m_2 \) is:

\[
F = G \frac{m_1 \cdot m_2}{r^2}
\]

To maximize \( F \), we set \( m_1 = x \) and \( m_2 = 100 - x \), then maximize the product \( m_1 \cdot m_2 = x(100 - x) \).

This product is maximized when \( x = 50 \). So, the masses should be split equally.

The ratio of masses is:

\[
\frac{m_1}{m_2} = \frac{50}{50} = 1
\]

Question 2: difficult

At what height from the surface of earth the gravitation potential and the value of g are –5.4 × 107 J/kg² and 6.0 m/s² respectively ? Take the radius of earth as 6400 km :

1. 2600 km
2. 1600 km
3. 1400 km
4. 2000 km
View Answer

The gravitational potential \( V \) at height \( h \) from the Earth's surface is given by:

\[
V = -\frac{GM}{R + h}
\]

The acceleration due to gravity \( g \) at height \( h \) is:

\[
g = \frac{GM}{(R + h)^2}
\]

Given:
- \( V = -5.4 \times 10^7 \, \text{J/kg} \)
- \( g = 6.0 \, \text{m/s}^2 \)
- \( R = 6400 \, \text{km} = 6.4 \times 10^6 \, \text{m} \)

From the first equation:

\[
-5.4 \times 10^7 = -\frac{GM}{R + h}
\]

From the second equation:

\[
6.0 = \frac{GM}{(R + h)^2}
\]

Dividing the two equations to eliminate \( GM \):

\[
\frac{V}{g} = \frac{-(R + h)}{(R + h)^2}
\]

Simplifying:

\[
\frac{-5.4 \times 10^7}{6.0} = -(R + h)
\]

Solving for \( h \):

\[
R + h = 9 \times 10^6 \, \text{m}
\]

\[
h = 9 \times 10^6 - 6.4 \times 10^6 = 2.6 \times 10^6 \, \text{m} = 2600 \, \text{km}
\]

Thus, the height is \( 2600 \, \text{km} \).

Question 3: difficult

A thin rod of length L is bent to form a semicircle. The mass of rod is M. What will be the gravitational potential at the centre of the circle

1. \[ \frac{-GM}{L}\]
2. \[ \frac{-GM}{2\pi L} \]
3. \[ \frac{- \pi GM}{2L}\]
4. \[ \frac{- \pi GM}{L} \]
View Answer

The gravitational potential at the center due to a semicircular rod is given by:

\[
V = - \frac{GM}{R}
\]

Where \( R \) is the radius of the semicircle, which is related to the length of the rod:

\[
L = \pi R \quad \Rightarrow \quad R = \frac{L}{\pi}
\]

Substituting \( R \) into the potential formula:

\[
V = - \frac{GM}{\frac{L}{\pi}} = - \frac{\pi GM}{L}
\]

Thus, the gravitational potential at the center is:

\[
V = - \frac{\pi GM}{L}
\]

Question 4: difficult

3 point masses are placed at the vertices of equilateral triangle . If a mass m is placed at the, centroid of the triangle. Find force on the mass placed at centroid.
(given : a is side of equilateral triangle)

1. 12Gm²/a²
2. 8Gm²/a²
3. 6Gm²/a²
4. 3Gm²/a²
View Answer

To find the net gravitational force on the mass \( m \) at the centroid, we follow these steps:

1. Forces due to extra masses \( 2m \):
- Each of the two lower vertices has an extra mass \( 2m \).
- The gravitational force due to one \( 2m \) mass at a distance \( \frac{a}{\sqrt{3}} \) from the centroid is:
\[
F = \frac{G (2m) m}{\left( \frac{a}{\sqrt{3}} \right)^2} = \frac{6 G m^2}{a^2}
\]

2. Net force between the two extra masses:
- The angle between the two forces is \( 120^\circ \).
- The resultant force is given by the vector addition formula:
\[
F_{\text{resultant}} = \sqrt{F^2 + F^2 + 2 F F \cos 120^\circ}
\]
Since \( \cos 120^\circ = -\frac{1}{2} \):
\[
F_{\text{resultant}} = \sqrt{F^2 + F^2 - F^2} = F = \frac{6 G m^2}{a^2}
\]

3. Conclusion:
The net gravitational force on the mass \( m \) at the centroid is:
\[
F_{\text{resultant}} = \frac{6 G m^2}{a^2}
\]
This force is directed vertically downward.

Question 5: difficult

If 100 kg mass is split into two parts and then separated by certain distance. then what ratio of masses so that gravitational force between them is maximum :

1. 2/3
2. 1/2
3. 1
4. 1/3
View Answer

The gravitational force between two masses \( m_1 \) and \( m_2 \) is given by Newton's law of gravitation:

\[
F = \frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}
\]

Let the total mass be \( M = 100 \, \text{kg} \), and split it into two parts: \( m_1 = x \) and \( m_2 = 100 - x \).

The gravitational force becomes:

\[
F = \frac{G x (100 - x)}{r^2}
\]

To maximize \( F \), we need to maximize \( x(100 - x) \), which is a quadratic function. The product \( x(100 - x) \) is maximized when \( x = 50 \).

Thus, the ratio of the two masses is:

\[
m_1 : m_2 = 50 : 50 = 1:1
\]

Therefore, the masses should be in a 1:1 ratio for the gravitational force to be maximum.

Question 6: difficult

The additional kinetic energy to be provided to a satellite of mass m revolving around a planet of mass M, to transfer it from a circular orbit of radius R1 to another of radius R2(R2 > R1) is :

1.
2.
3.
4.
View Answer

The additional kinetic energy required to transfer a satellite from a circular orbit of radius \( R_1 \) to \( R_2 \) is the difference in kinetic energy between the two orbits.

Kinetic energy in a circular orbit is:

\[
K = \frac{GMm}{2R}
\]

The kinetic energy difference is:

\[
\Delta K = \frac{GMm}{2R_1} - \frac{GMm}{2R_2}
\]

Simplifying:

\[
\Delta K = \frac{GMm}{2} \left( \frac{1}{R_1} - \frac{1}{R_2} \right)
\]

So, the additional kinetic energy is:

\[
\Delta K = \frac{GMm}{2} \left( \frac{1}{R_1} - \frac{1}{R_2} \right)
\]

Question 7: difficult

A body of superdense material with mass twice the mass of earth but size very small compared to the size of earth starts from rest from \(h \ll R\) above the earth’s surface. It reaches earth in time \(t\). Then:

1. \(t = \sqrt{\frac{h}{g}}\)
2. \(t = \sqrt{\frac{2h}{g}}\)
3. \(t = \sqrt{\frac{2h}{3g}}\)
4. \(t = \sqrt{\frac{4h}{3g}}\)
View Answer

The acceleration of the earth towards the body is \(a_E = 2g\) and the body towards the earth is \(a_B = g\). The relative acceleration is \(a_{rel} = 3g\). Using \(h = \frac{1}{2} a_{rel} t^2\), we get \(t = \sqrt{\frac{2h}{3g}}\).

Question 8: difficult

Two equal masses m and m are hung from a balance whose scale pans differ in vertical height by ‘h’. The error in weighing in terms of density of the earth \(\rho\) is :

1. \(\pi G \rho m h\)
2. \(\frac{1}{3} \pi G \rho m h\)
3. \(\frac{8}{3} \pi G \rho m h\)
4. \(\frac{4}{3} \pi G \rho m h\)
View Answer

The error in force is \(\Delta F = m(g_1 - g_2) \approx m \frac{2g}{R} h\). Since \(g = \frac{4}{3} \pi G \rho R\), we have \(\frac{2g}{R} = \frac{8}{3} \pi G \rho\). Therefore, \(\Delta F = \frac{8}{3} \pi G \rho m h\).

Question 9: difficult

A satellite is launched in the equatorial plane in such a way that it can transmit signals upto \(60^\circ\) latitude on the earth. Then the angular velocity of the satellite is :

1. \(\sqrt{\frac{GM}{8R^3}}\)
2. \(\sqrt{\frac{GM}{2R^3}}\)
3. \(\sqrt{\frac{GM}{4R^3}}\)
4. \(\sqrt{\frac{3\sqrt{3}GM}{8R^3}}\)
View Answer

For a transmission coverage up to latitude \(\theta = 60^\circ\), the orbital radius \(r\) satisfies \(\cos\theta = \frac{R}{r}\). This gives \(r = 2R\). The angular velocity is \(\omega = \sqrt{\frac{GM}{r^3}} = \sqrt{\frac{GM}{8R^3}}\).