GRAVITATIONAL FIELDS

Question 1

Acceleration

Answer 1

The rate of change of an object’s velocity.

Question 2

Acceleration due to gravity

Answer 2

The rate of increase of velocity due to the force of gravity acting on a mass, this is 9.81ms^-2 on earth.

Question 3

Gravity/ Gravitation

Answer 3

A fundamental force; the attractive force between two bodies due to their mass

Question 4

Newton’s law of gravitation

Answer 4

The attractive gravitational force that acts between two masses is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centres.

Question 5

Gravitational field

Answer 5

The region around a mass where another mass will experience an (attractive) gravitational force

Question 6

Gravitational field strength

Answer 6

The gravitational force per unit mass (acting on a mass within a gravitational field)

Question 7

Equipotential

Answer 7

Locations within a field that have the same potential.

Question 8

Free Fall

Answer 8

The only force acting is gravity

Question 9

Weightlessness

Answer 9

The only force acting is gravity/weight

Question 10

Describe the similarities and differences between electric and gravitational fields.

Answer 10

1. Gravitational fields are regions in which a mass experiences a force due to its mass whereas
   Electric fields are regions in which a charge experiences a force due to its charge.
2. Both types of field have an infinite range
3. In each type of field the force varies as an inverse square
4. The force between masses is always attractive whereas the force between
   charges can be attractive or repulsive.
5. The force between (unit) charges at a given separation is much stronger than
   the force between (unit) masses at the same separation