Gravitation - NEET Physics Questions
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Gravitation

Question 21: easy

Two planets of radii in the ratio 2 : 3 are made from the material of density in the ratio 3 : 2. Then the ratio of acceleration due to gravity \( g_1 / g_2 \) at the surface of the two planets will be:

1. 1
2. 2.25
3. 4/9
4. 0.12
View Answer

Acceleration due to gravity at the surface of a planet is given by \( g = \frac{4}{3} \pi G R \rho \). Therefore, \( \frac{g_1}{g_2} = \frac{R_1}{R_2} \times \frac{\rho_1}{\rho_2} = \frac{2}{3} \times \frac{3}{2} = 1 \).

Question 22: easy

The height at which the weight of a body becomes 1/9th its weight on the surface of earth (radius of earth is R):

1. \(h = 3R\)
2. \(h = R\)
3. \(h = \frac{R}{2}\)
4. \(h = 2R\)
View Answer

Since acceleration due to gravity varies with height as \(g' = g \frac{R^2}{(R+h)^2}\), setting \(g' = g/9\) gives \(R+h = 3R\), which simplifies to \(h = 2R\).

Question 23: easy

Assertion: If an earth satellite moves to a lower orbit, there is some dissipation of energy but the satellite speed increases.


Reason: The speed of satellite is a constant quantity.

1. Both Assertion and Reason are true and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion.
2. Both Assertion and Reason are true but Reason is not correct explanation of Assertion.
3. Assertion is true but Reason is false.
4. Assertion and Reason are false.
View Answer

As a satellite moves to a lower orbit, total energy decreases (becomes more negative) due to dissipation, but kinetic energy increases, so speed increases. The speed of a satellite is not universally constant.

Question 24: easy

A clock S is based on oscillation of a spring and a clock P is based on pendulum motion. Both clocks run at the same rate on earth. On a planet having the same density as earth but twice the radius:

1. S will run faster than P
2. P will run faster than S
3. They will both run at the same rate as on the earth
4. None of these
View Answer

Since \(g \propto \rho R\), on a planet with twice the radius and same density, \(g' = 2g\). Pendulum time period decreases (\(T_p = 2\pi\sqrt{l/g}\)), so clock P ticks faster. Spring clock is unaffected.

Question 25: easy

If three uniform spheres, each having mass \(M\) and radius \(r\), are kept in such a way that each touches the other two, the magnitude of the gravitational force on any sphere due to the other two is

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

The distance between centers is \(2r\). Force between any two is \(F = \frac{GM^2}{4r^2}\). Since the angle between the forces is \(60^\circ\), the resultant force is \(F_{\text{net}} = \sqrt{3}F = \frac{\sqrt{3} GM^2}{4r^2}\).

Question 26: easy

The acceleration due to gravity (on earth) depends upon

1. size of the body
2. gravitational mass of the body
3. gravitational mass of the earth
4. none of the above factors
View Answer

The acceleration due to gravity is \(g = \frac{GM_e}{R_e^2}\). This depends on the mass of the Earth, not on the properties of the body itself.

Question 27: easy

An object is placed at a distance of \(R/2\) from the centre of earth. Knowing mass is distributed uniformly, acceleration of that object due to gravity at that point is: (\(g =\) acceleration due to gravity on the surface of earth and \(R\) is the radius of earth)

1. \(g\)
2. \(2 g\)
3. \(g/2\)
4. none of these
View Answer

Inside the earth, the acceleration due to gravity varies linearly with distance: \(g' = \frac{gr}{R}\). For \(r = R/2\), we have \(g' = \frac{g}{2}\).

Question 28: easy

A thin rod of length \(L\) is bent to form a circle. Its mass is \(M\). What force will act on the mass \(m\) placed at the centre of the circle?

1. \(\frac{4\pi^2 GMm}{L^2}\)
2. \(\frac{GMm}{4\pi^2 L^2}\)
3. \(\frac{2\pi GMm}{L^2}\)
4. zero
View Answer

Due to the symmetrical distribution of mass in a circular ring, the gravitational field at the center is zero. Therefore, the force on any mass placed at the center is zero.

Question 29: easy

A spherical shell has mass \(M\) and radius \(R\). A point mass \(m/2\) kept inside the shell at a distance \(R/2\) from centre. Then force of attraction on the mass is:

1. \(\frac{2Gm^2}{R^2}\)
2. \(\frac{Gm^2}{R^2}\)
3. \(\frac{Gm^2}{2R}\)
4. zero
View Answer

According to shell theorem, the gravitational field inside a uniform spherical shell is zero at all points. Thus, the force acting on the point mass is zero.

Question 30: easy

How much deep inside the earth (radius \(R\)) should a man go, so that his weight becomes one-fourth of that on the earth’s surface?

1. \(\frac{R}{4}\)
2. \(\frac{R}{2}\)
3. \(\frac{3R}{4}\)
4. None
View Answer

The acceleration due to gravity at depth \(d\) is \(g' = g \left(1 - \frac{d}{R}\right)\). Setting \(g' = g/4\), we get \(1 - \frac{d}{R} = \frac{1}{4}\) which gives \(d = \frac{3R}{4}\).