EXERCISE-I

Q.1 A small mass and a thin uniform rod each of mass ' m ' are positioned
along the same straight line as shown. Find the force of gravitational
attraction exerted by the rod on the small mass.

Q.2 A particle is fired vertically from the surface of the earth with a velocity ke , where e is the escape
velocity and k < 1. Neglecting air resistance and assuming earth's radius as Re. Calculate the height to
which it will rise from the surface of the earth.

Q.3 Calculate the distance from the surface of the earth at which above and below the surface acceleration
due to gravity is the same.

Q.4 An object is projected vertically upward from the surface of the earth of mass M with a velocity such
that the maximum height reached is eight times the radius R of the earth. Calculate:
(i) the initial speed of projection (ii) the speed at half the maximum height.

Q.5 Four masses (each of m)are placed at the vertices of a regular pyramid
(triangular base) of side 'a'. Find the work done by the system while
taking them apart so that they form the pyramid of side '2a'.

Q.6 Athin spherical shell of total mass M and radius R is held fixed. There is a small hole in the shell.Amass
m is released from rest a distance R from the hole along a line that passes through the hole and also
through the centre of the shell. This mass subsequently moves under the gravitational force of the shell.
How long does the mass take to travel from the hole to the point diametrically opposite.

Q.7 A satellite close to the earth is in orbit above the equator with a period of rotation of 1.5 hours. If it is
above a point P on the equator at some time, it will be above P again after time________.

Q.8 A satellite is moving in a circular orbit around the earth. The total energy of the satellite is
E = – 2 ×105J. The amount of energy to be imparted to the satellite to transfer it to a circular orbit where
its potential energy is U= – 2 × 105J is equal to ________.

Q.9 Asatellite of mass m is orbiting the earth in a circular orbit of radius r. It starts losing energydue to small
air resistance at the rate of C J/ s. Then the time taken for the satellite to reach the earth is _______.

Q.10 A hypothetical planet of mass M has three moons each of equal mass ‘m’ each
revolving in the same circular orbit of radius R. The masses are equally spaced and
thus form an equilateral triangle. Find:
(i) the total P.E. of the system
(ii) the orbital speed of each moon such that they maintain this configuration.

Q.11 A remote sensing satellite is revolving in an orbit of radius x over the equator of earth. Find the area on
earth surface in which satellite can not send message.

Gravitation [4]
Q.12 The fastest possible rate of rotation of a planet such that for which the gravitational force on material at
the equator barelyprovides the centripetal force needed for the rotation.. Show then that the corresponding
3
shortest period of rotation is given by T = , where  is the density of the planet, assumed to be
G
homogeneous.

Q.13 A small body of mass is projected with a velocity just sufficient to make it reach from the surface of a
planet (of radius 2R and mass 3M) to the surface of another planet (of radius R and mass M). The
distance between the centers of the two spherical planets is 6R. the distance of the body from the center
of bigger planet is ‘x’at any moment. During the journey, find the distance x where the speed of the body
is (a) maximum (b) minimum.Assume motion of body along the line joining centres of planets.

Q.14 A satellite P is revolving around the earth at a height h = radius of earth (R)
above equator. A nother satellite Q is at a height 2h revolving in opposite
direction.A t an instant thetwo areat same vertical linepassing through centre
of sphere. Find the least time after which again they arein this situation.

Q.15 A satellite is orbiting the Earth of mass M in equatorial plane in a circular orbit having radius 2R and same
sense of rotation as that of the Earth. Find duration of time for which a man standing on the equator will
be able to see the satellite continuously. Assume that the man can see the satellite when it is above
horizonal. Take Earth's angular velocity = .

1.5GM
Q.16 Abody is launched from the earth’s surface a an angle =30o to the horizontal at a speed v0= .
R
Neglecting air resistance and earth’s rotation, find (a) the height to which the bodywill rise. (b) the radius
of curvature of trajectory at its top point.

Q.17 A bodymoving radially away from a planet of mass M, when at distance r from planet, explodes in such
a way that two of its many fragments move in mutually perpendicular circular orbits around the planet.
What will be
(a) then velocityin circular orbits.
(b) maximum distance between the two fragments before collision and
(c) magnitude of their relative velocity just before they collide.

Q.18 A cord of length 64 m is used to connect a 100 kg astronaut to spaceship whose mass is much larger
than that of the astronaut. Estimate the value of the tension in the cord. Assume that the spaceship is
orbiting near earth surface.Assume that the spaceship and the astronaut fall on a straight line from the
earth centre. The radius of the earth is 6400 km.

EXERCISE-II
Q.1 In a region of only gravitational field of mass 'M' a particle is shifted
from Ato B via three different paths in the figure. The work done in
different paths are W1 , W2, W3 respectively then [JEE' (Scr.) 2003]
(A) W1 = W2 = W3 (B) W1 > W2 > W3
(C) W1 = W2 > W3 (D) W1 < W2 < W3

Gravitation [5]
 ANSWER KEY
EXERCISE-I

G m2 R ek 2 5 1
Q.1 Q.2 Q.3 h= R
3 L2 1 k 2 2

4 Gm 2 2Gm 3Gm 2
Q.4 (i) , (ii) Q.5 – Q.6 2  R 3 / GM
3 R 3 5R a

Q.7 1.6 hours if it is rotating from west to east, 24/17 hours if it is rotating from east to west

GMm  1 1  3Gm  m  G m 
Q.8 1 × 105J Q.9 t=    Q.10 (i) –   M  , (ii)   M
2C  R e r  R  3  R 3 

 2 2  3 2R 3 / 2 (6 6 )
Q.11 1  x  R 4R 2 Q.12 T = Q.13 2R, 3R[3 – 3 ] Q.14
 x  G GM (2 2  3 3 )
 

2  7 
Q.15 Q.16 (a) h =  1 R, (b) 1.13R
 GM   2 
3 3
 e 
 8R 

GM 2GM
Q.17 (a) ; (b) r 2 ; (c) Q.18 T = 3 × 10–2 N
r r

EXERCISE-II
Q.1 A Q.2 h = 99R Q.3 D Q.4 C

Q.5 (A) P; (B) Q, R; (C) P; (D) Q, R Q.6 C Q.7 A

Q.8 A Q.9 6 Q.10 3 Q.11 B

Q.12 B, D

Gravitation [15]
Q.13 A pair of stars rotates about a common center of mass. One of the stars has a mass M which is twice as
large as the mass m of the other. Their centres are a distance d apart, d being large compared to the size
of either star.
(a) Derive an expression for the period of rotation of the stars about their common centre of mass in
terms of d,m, G.
(b) Compare the angular momentum of the two stars about their common centre of mass by calculating
the ratio Lm/ LM. (c) Compare the kinetic energies of the two stars by calculating the ratio Km/KM.

Q.14 The fastest possible rate of rotation of a planet such that for which the gravitational force on material at
the equator barely provides the centripetal force needed for the rotation.. Show then that the corresponding
3
shortest period of rotation is given by T = , where  is the density of the planet, assumed to be
G
homogeneous.

EXERCISE-II
Q.1 A sphere of radius R has its centre at the origin. It has a uniform mass density
0 except that there is a spherical hole of radius r=R/2 whose centre is at
x=R/2 as in fig. (a) Find gravitational field at points on the axis for x > R
(ii) Show that the gravitational field inside the hole is uniform, find its magnitude
and direction.

Q.2 A small body of mass is projected with a velocity just sufficient to make it reach from the surface of a
planet (of radius 2R and mass 3M) to the surface of another planet (of radius R and mass M). The
distance between the centers of the two spherical planets is 6R. the distance of the body from the center
of bigger planet is ëxí at any moment. During the journey, find the distance x where the speed of the body
is (a) maximum (b) minimum. Assume motion of body along the line joining centres of planets.

Q.3 A man can jump over b = 4m wide trench on earth. If mean density of an imaginary planet is twice that
of the earth, calculate its maximum possible radius so that he may escape from it by jumping. Given
radius of earth = 6400 km.

Q.4 A satellite P is revolving around the earth at a height h = radius of earth (R)
above equator. Another satellite Q is at a height 2h revolving in opposite
direction. At an instant the two are at same vertical line passing through centre
of sphere. Find the least time after which again they are in this situation.

Q.5 Two small dense stars rotate about their common centre of mass as a binary system with the period
1 year for each. One star is of double the mass of the other and the mass of the lighter one is 1/3 of the
mass of the sun. Find the distance between the stars if distance between the earth & the sun is R.

Q.6 A satellite is orbiting the Earth of mass M in equatorial plane in a circular orbit having radius 2R and same
sense of rotation as that of the Earth. Find duration of time for which a man standing on the equator will
be able to see the satellite continuously. Assume that the man can see the satellite when it is above
horizonal. Take Earth's angular velocity = .

Gravitation [5]
Q.7 A launching pad with a spaceship is moving along a circular orbit of the moon , whose radius R is
triple that of moon Rm. The ship leaves the launching pad with a relative velocity equal to the

launching pad's initial orbital velocity v 0 and the launching pad then falls to the moon . Determine
the angle  with the horizontal at which the launching pad crashes into the surface if its mass is twice
that of the spaceship m.

1.5GM
Q.8 A body is launched from the earthís surface a an angle =30o to the horizontal at a speed v0= .
R
Neglecting air resistance and earthís rotation, find (a) the height to which the body will rise. (b) the radius
of curvature of trajectory at its top point.

Q.9 A body moving radially away from a planet of mass M, when at distance r from planet, explodes in such
a way that two of its many fragments move in mutually perpendicular circular orbits around the planet.
What will be
(a) then velocity in circular orbits.
(b) maximum distance between the two fragments before collision and
(c) magnitude of their relative velocity just before they collide.

Q.10 A cord of length 64 m is used to connect a 100 kg astronaut to spaceship whose mass is much larger
than that of the astronaut. Estimate the value of the tension in the cord. Assume that the spaceship is
orbiting near earth surface. Assume that the spaceship and the astronaut fall on a straight line from the
earth centre. The radius of the earth is 6400 km.

EXERCISE-III
Q.1 A simple pendulum has a time period T1 when on the earth's surface and T2 when taken to a height R
T2
above the earth's surface, where R is the radius of the earth. The value of T is [JEE 2001]
1

(A) 1 (B) 2 (C) 4 (D) 2

Q.2 In a region of only gravitational field of mass 'M' a particle is shifted

(A) W1 = W2 = W3 (B) W1 > W2 > W3 (C) W1 = W2 > W3 (D) W1 < W2 < W3

Q.3 A body is projected vertically upwards from the bottom of a crater of moon of depth R/100 where R is
the radius of moon with a velocity equal to the escape velocity on the surface of moon. Calculate
maximum height attained by the body from the surface of the moon. [JEE' 2003]

Q.4 A system of binary stars of masses mA and mB are moving in circular orbits of radii rA and rB respectively.
If TA and TB are the time periods of masses mA and mB respectively, then [JEE 2006]
(A) TA > TB (if rA > rB) (B) TA > TB (if mA > mB)
2 3
 TA   rA 
(C)    
   (D) TA = TB
 TB   rB 

Gravitation [6]
 A!SWER KEY
EXERCISE-I

G m2 R ek 2 2GM  1  5 1
Q.1 Q.2 2 Q.3 1   Q.4 h= R
3 L2 1 k a  2 2

4 Gm 2 2Gm 3Gm 2
Q.5 (i) , (ii) Q.6 ñ Q.7 2  R 3 / GM
3 R 3 5R a
Q.8 1.6 hours if it is rotating from west to east, 24/17 hours if it is rotating from east to west

GMm  1 1  3Gm  m  G m 
Q.9 1 = 105J Q.10 t=      M  , (ii)   M
2C  R e r 
Q.11 (i) ñ
R  3  R 3 

 2 2  2d 3 / 2 3
Q.12 1  x  R 4R 2 Q.13 (a) T , (b) 2, (c) 2 Q.14 T=
 x  3Gm G
 

EXERCISE-II
 G 0 R 3  1 8 à  2G0 R à
Q.1 g =    2 i
,g =  i Q.2 2R, 3R[3 ñ 3]
 x  ( R 2) 
2
6 x  3

2R 3 / 2 (6 6 )
Q.3 6.4km Q.4 Q.5 R
GM ( 2 2  3 3 )

2 3  7 
Q.6 Q.7 cos   Q.8 (a) h =  1 R, (b) 1.13R
 GM  10  2 
3 3
 e 
 8R 

GM 2GM
Q.9 (a) ; (b) r 2 ; (c) Q.10 T = 3 = 10ñ2 N
r r

EXERCISE-III

Q.1 D Q.2 A Q.3 h = 99R Q.4 D Q.5 C

Q.6 (A) P; (B) Q, R; (C) P; (D) Q, R] Q.7 C Q.8 A Q.9 A

Q.10 6 Q.11 3 Q.12 B

Gravitation [15]