CLASS: IX

LESSSON-10 (GRAVITATION) SOLUTION

Page: 134
1. State the universal law of gravitation.
The universal law of gravitation states that every object in the universe attracts every other object
with a force called the gravitational force which is directly proportional to the product of their
masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centres.
2. Write the formula to find the magnitude of the gravitational force between the earth and
an object on the surface of the earth.
Consider F is the force of attraction between an object on the surface of earth and earth.
Also consider ‘m’ is the mass of the object on the surface of earth, ‘𝑀𝑒 ’ is the mass of earth and
𝐺𝑚𝑀𝑒
R as radius of earth, then: F=
𝑅2
Page: 136
1. What do you mean by free fall?
Earth’s gravity attracts each object to its centre. When an object is dropped from a certain height,
under the influence of gravitational force it begins to fall to the surface of Earth. Such an object
movement is called free fall.
2. What do you mean by acceleration due to gravity?
When an object falls freely from a certain height towards the earth’s surface, its velocity changes.
This velocity change produces acceleration in the object known as acceleration due to gravity.
Denoted by (g).

Page: 138
1. What are the differences between the mass of an object and its weight?
The differences between the mass of an object and its weight is tabulated below.

Mass Weight

Mass is the quantity of matter Weight is the force of gravity acting on the
contained in the body. body.

It is the measure of inertia of the It is the measure of gravity.

body.

It only has magnitude. It has magnitude as well as direction.

Mass is a constant quantity. Weight is not a constant quantity. It is different

at different places.
 Its SI unit is kilogram (kg). Its SI unit is the same as the SI unit of force,
i.e., Newton (N).
2. Why is the weight of an object on the moon 1/6th its weight on the earth?
The moon’s mass is 1/100 times and 1/4 times the earth’s radius. As a result, when compared to
earth, the gravitational attraction on the moon is about one sixth. Thus, an object’s weight on the
moon is 1/6th its earth weight.

Page: 141
1. Why is it difficult to hold a school bag having a strap made of a thin and strong string?
It is tough to carry a bag having a thin strap as the pressure on the shoulders increase. This is
because pressure is inversely proportional to the surface area. The smaller is the surface area;
𝑇
the larger is the pressure on the surface. As P=
𝐴
2. What do you mean by buoyancy?
The upward force applied by a liquid on an object that’s immersed in it is referred to as
buoyancy.
3. Why does an object float or sink when placed on the surface of water?
An object float If its density is less than that of water
or sink If its density is greater than that of water when placed on the surface of water .

Page: 142
1. You find your mass to be 42 kg on a weighing machine. Is your mass more or less than
42 kg?
When weighing our body, it is acted upon by an upward force , buoyant force by the air. As a
result, the body is pushed up slightly, resulting in the weighing machine showing less reading
than the actual value.
2. You have a bag of cotton and an iron bar, each indicating a mass of 100 kg when
measured on a weighing machine. In reality, one is heavier than other. Can you say which
one is heavier and why?
The bag of cotton is heavier than the bar of iron. The cotton bag is acted upon by larger buoyant
force than the iron bar. The weighing machine therefore indicates a smaller cotton bag weight
than its actual weight.

Page: 143
1. How does the force of gravitation between two objects change when the distance
between them is reduced to half?
Consider the Universal law of gravitation,
According to that law, the force of attraction between two bodies is

Where,
m1 and m2 are the masses of the two bodies.
G is the gravitational constant.
r is the distance between the two bodies.
Given that the distance is reduced to half then,
𝑟 ′ = 1/2 r
Therefore,

𝐹 ′ = 4F
Therefore, once the space between the objects is reduced to half, then the force of gravitation
will increase by fourfold the first force.
2. Gravitational force acts on all objects in proportion to their masses. Why then, a heavy
object does not fall faster than a light object?
All objects fall on the bottom with constant acceleration called acceleration due to gravity (g). It’s
constant and therefore the value of ‘g’ doesn’t depend on the mass of object. So heavy objects
don’t fall quicker than light-weight objects provided there’s no air resistance.
3. What is the magnitude of the gravitational force between the earth and a 1 kg object on
its surface? (Mass of the earth is 6 × 1024 kg and radius of the earth is 6.4 × 106m.)
From Newton’s law of gravitation, we know that the force of attraction between the bodies is
given by

4. The earth and the moon are attracted to each other by gravitational force. Does the
earth attract the moon with a force that is greater or smaller or the same as the force with
which the moon attracts the earth? Why?
The earth attracts the moon with equal force as the moon attracts the planet however these
forces are in opposite directions. This is according to Newtons law of motion. By universal law of
gravitation, the force between moon and also the earth can be,

Where,
d = distance between the earth and moon.
m1 m2 = masses of earth and moon respectively.
5. If the moon attracts the earth, why does the earth not move towards the moon?
According to Newtons third law of motion, we all know that the force of attraction between 2
objects is same however in opposite direction. Since earth is far larger in mass than moon, that
the acceleration cannot be detected on earth surface. This is according to newtons 2nd law of
motion : F = ma
6. What happens to the force between two objects, if
(i) The mass of one object is doubled?
(ii) The distance between the objects is doubled and tripled?
(iii) The masses of both objects are doubled?
(i) According to universal law of gravitation,

If the mass is doubled for one object.

F = 2F, so force is also doubled.
(ii) If distance is doubled
𝐺𝑚1 𝑚2
𝐹/ =
(2𝑑)2

Force thus becomes one-fourth of its initial force.

If it’s tripled
𝐺 𝑚1 𝑚2
F/ =
(3𝑑)2
Force thus becomes one-ninth of its initial force.
(iii) If masses of both the objects are doubled, then
𝐺 2𝑚1 2𝑚2
𝐹/ =
(𝑑)2

Force will therefore be four times greater than its actual value.
7. What is the importance of universal law of gravitation?
The universal law of gravitation explains many phenomena that were believed to be
unconnected:
(i) The motion of the moon round the earth
(ii) The force that binds North American nation to the world
(iii) The tides because of the moon and therefore the Sun
(iv) The motion of planets round the Sun
8. What is the acceleration of free fall?
When an object falls freely under the action of gravity alone, then there is increase in velocity per
unit time and hence acceleration such an acceleration is called acceleration due to gravity. It is
denoted by ‘g’ and its worth is 9.8m/s2 and it’s constant for all objects close to earth’s surface
(irrespective of their masses).
9. What do we call the gravitational force between the earth and an object?
Gravitational force is known as the object’s weight between the earth and an object.
10. Amit buys few grams of gold at the poles as per the instruction of one of his friends.
He hands over the same when he meets him at the equator. Will the friend agree with the
weight of gold bought? If not, why? [Hint: The value of g is greater at the poles than at the
equator.]
The weight of a body on the earth’s surface;
W = mg wherever (m = mass of the body and g= acceleration thanks to gravity)
The value of g is a more at poles as compared to g on equator. So, gold will weigh less at the
equator as compared to poles.
Therefore, Amit’s friend won’t believe the load of the gold bought.
11. Why will a sheet of paper fall slower than one that is crumpled into a ball?
A sheet of paper has a lot of area as compared to a crumpled paper ball. A sheet of paper must
face a lot of air resistance. As result a sheet of paper falls slower than the crumpled ball.
12. Gravitational force on the surface of the moon is only 1/6 as strong as gravitational
force on the earth. What is the weight in newtons of a 10 kg object on the moon and on
the earth?
Acceleration due to earth’s gravity g = 9.8 m/s2
mass m = 10 kg
Acceleration due to moon gravity = gm
Weight on the earth= We
Weight on the moon = Wm
Weight = mass x gravity
gm = (1/6) g (given)
So Wm = m gm = m x (1/6) g
Wm = 10 x (1/6) x 9.8 = 16.34 N
We = m x g = 10 x 9.8
We = 98N
13. A ball is thrown vertically upwards with a velocity of 49 m/s.
Calculate
(i) The maximum height to which it rises,
(ii) The total time it takes to return to the surface of the earth.
Initial velocity u = 49m/s
Final velocity v at maximum height = 0
Acceleration due to earth’s gravity g = -9.8 m/s2 (thus negative as ball is thrown up).
By third equation of motion, 2gs= v2 - u2
2 x -9.8 x s = 0 - 492
49𝑋49
s=- =122.5m
2𝑋(−9.8)
Total time T = Time to ascend (Ta) + Time to descend (Td)
V=u–gt
0 = 49 – 9.8 x Ta
Ta = (49/9.8) = 5s
Also, Td = 5s
Therefore T = Ta + Td
T=5+5
T = 10s
14. A stone is released from the top of a tower of height 19.6 m. Calculate its final velocity
just before touching the ground.
Initial velocity u = 0
Tower height = total distance = 19.6m
g = 9.8 m/s2
Consider third equation of motion v2 = u2 + 2gs
v2 = 0 + 2 × 9.8 × 19.6
v2 = 19.6 x 19.6
v= 19.6
v = 19.6m/s
15. A stone is thrown vertically upward with an initial velocity of 40 m/s. Taking g = 10
m/s2, find the maximum height reached by the stone. What is the net displacement and the
total distance covered by the stone?

Initial velocity u = 40m/s

g = 10 m/s2
At max height final velocity v = 0
Consider third equation of motion v2 = u2 – 2gs [negative as the object goes up]
0 = (40)2 – 2 x 10 x s
s = (40 x 40) / 20
Maximum height s = 80m
 Total Distance = s + s = 80 + 80 =160m
Total displacement = 0 (The first point is the same as the last point)
16. Calculate the force of gravitation between the earth and the Sun, given that the mass
of the earth = 6 × 1024 kg and of the Sun = 2 × 1030 kg. The average distance between the
two is 1.5 × 1011 m.
Mass of the sun ms = 2 × 1030 kg
Mass of the earth me = 6 × 1024 kg
Gravitation constant G = 6.67 x 10-11 N m2/ kg2
Average distance r = 1.5 × 1011
𝐺𝑚𝑠 𝑚𝑒
F=
𝑟2
On substituting the values, we get: F= 3.56 x 1022N
17. A stone is allowed to fall from the top of a tower 100 m high and at the same time
another stone is projected vertically upwards from the ground with a velocity of 25 m/s.
Calculate when and where the two stones will meet.
Let the stones meet at a height x above the ground
For Stone1,dropped from tower
Initial velocity u = 0
Distance travelled = (100 – x)
Time taken = t
s = u t + ½ g 𝑡2
(100 – x) = ½ g 𝑡 2
x = 100 - ½ g 𝑡 2 …………(a)
(ii) When the stone is thrown upwards,
Initial velocity u = 25 m/s
Distance travelled = x
Time taken = t
S = u t + ½ g 𝑡2
x = 25 t - ½ g 𝑡 2……………..(b)
equating equations (a) and (b)
100 - ½ g 𝑡 2=25 t -½ g 𝑡 2
t = (100/25) = 4sec.
After 4sec, two stones will meet.
From equation (a) x = 100 - ½ g 𝑡 2
Therefore x=20 m
This means that after 4sec, 2 stones meet a distance of 20 m from the ground.
18. A ball thrown up vertically returns to the thrower after 6 s. Find
(a) The velocity with which it was thrown up,
(b) The maximum height it reaches, and
(c) Its position after 4s.
g = 10m/s2
Total time T = 6sec
Ta = Td = 3sec
(a) Final velocity at maximum height v = 0
From first equation of motion: v = u – g ta
u = v + g ta
= 0 + 10 x 3
= 30m/s
The velocity with which stone was thrown up is 30m/s.
(b) From second equation of motion s = u t - ½ g 𝑡 2
s = 30 x 3 - ½ x10 x 9
= 90 – 45
= 45 m
The maximum height stone reaches is 45m.
(c) In 3sec, it reaches the maximum height.
Distance travelled in another 1sec = s’
The distance travelled in another 1sec = 5m.
Therefore in 4sec, the position of point p (45 – 5)
= 40m from the ground.
19. In what direction does the buoyant force on an object immersed in a liquid act?
The buoyant force on an object that is immersed in a liquid will be in a vertically upward direction.
20. Why a block of plastic does released under water come up to the surface of water?
The density of plastic is less than that of water, therefore the buoyant force on plastic block more
than the weight of plastic block .
21. The volume of 50 g of a substance is 20 cm3. If the density of water is 1 g cm–3, will the
substance float or sink?
Density = (Mass/Volume)
Density = (50/20) = 2.5g/cm3
Density of water = 1g/cm3
Density of the substance is greater than density of water. So the substance will float.
22. The volume of a 500 g sealed packet is 350 cm3. Will the packet float or sink in water if
the density of water is 1 g cm–3? What will be the mass of the water displaced by this
packet?
m = 500g v = 350 cm3
 𝑚
Density of sealed packet = 𝑣 = 500/350 = 1.42 g/cm3

Density of sealed packet is greater than density of water therefore the packet will sink.
Considering Archimedes Principle,
Displaced water volume = Force exerted on the sealed packet.
Volume of water displaced = volume of sealed packet = 350cm3
mass of displaced water(m) = d x V

= 1 × 350 density of water=1g/cm3

Mass of displaced water = 350g.