2.

GRAVITATION
1. Show that the critical velocity of a body To find :
revolving very close to the surface of a T2 = ?
planet of radius R and mean density ρ Formula :
πρG  T2 
2
 r2 
3
is 2R
3   =  
 T1   r1 
Given :
Solution :
Since body is revolving very close to the
surface of a planet  T2 
2

∴ h << R  365  = 23 = 8
R = radius of planet  
ρ = mean density of planet T2
To show that : ∴ = 8
365
πρG ∴ T2 = 2.828 × 365
vc = 2R ∴ T2 = 1032 days
3
Proof :
Critical velocity of a body very close to 3. Calculate the height of the
earth is given by communication satellite.
[Given G = 6.67 × 10–11 Nm2/kg2, M = 6 ×
GM 1024 kg, R = 6400 km]
vc = ... (i)
R Given :
G = 6.67 × 10–11 Nm2/kg2
4 πR 3 ρ M = 6 × 1024 kg
Also, M = V × ρ = ... (ii)
3 R = 6400 km
From equation (i) and (ii) To find :
h = ?
 4 πR 3 ρ  Formula :
  × G
 3  2 2 R 2 ( πρG )
vc = = r3
R 3 T = 2π
GM
πρG
πρ Solution :
∴ v c = 2R
3  4π2 
T2 =   r3
2. What should be the duration of the year  GM 
if the distance between the earth and
the sun gets doubled the present T 2 GM
distance ? ∴ r3 =
4π 2
Given :
T1 = 365 days T 2 GM
r2 = 2r1 ∴ (R + h)3 = (... r = R + h)
4π 2
r2
∴ = 2
r1
Gravitation
 .. 8 MAHESH TUTORIALS SCIENCE

( 24 × 60 × 60 )2 × ( 6.67 × 1011 ) × ( 6 × 1024 ) T1

= ∴ = 31.62 : 1
2 T2
4 × ( 3.14 )
= 75.74 × 1021 GM
vc =
r
∴ (R + h) = 3
75.74 × 10 21
= 4.231 × 107 m GM
(R + h) = 4.231 × 106 m ∴ v c1 =
r1
∴ h = 4.231 × 106 – R
h = 4.231 × 106 – 6.4 × 106 GM
and, vc2 =
∴ h = 35.9 × 106 m r2
∴ h = 35910 km
v c1 r2
4. The distance of two planets from the ∴ =
v c2 r1
sun are 1013 m and 1012 m respectively.
Find the ratio of time periods and
orbital speeds of the two plants. v c1 10 12 1
= 13
=
Given : v c2 10 10
r1 = 1013 m
r2 = 1012 m vc1
To find : ∴ vc2 = 0.3162 : 1
T1
= ?
T2
5. A body weighs 3.5 kg wt, on the surface
Vc1 of the earth. What will be its weight on
= ? the surface of a planet whose mass is
Vc2
1
Formula : th of the mass of the earth and radius
7
2 3
 T1   r1  half of that of the earth ?
i)   =   Given :
 T2   r2  We = 3.5 kg wt.
GM
ii) vc = Mp 1
r =
Me 7
Solution :
2 3
 T1   r1  Rp 1
  =   =
 T2   r2  Re 2

3 To find :
T1  r1  2
∴ =   Wp = ?
T2
 r2 
Formula :
3
 10 13 2 Wp Mp R e2
=  12  = 103/2 = × 2
We Me Rp
 10 
Gravitation
MAHESH TUTORIALS SCIENCE .. 9

Solution :
v c1 r2 8
Wp 1 2
2
4 = =
v c2 r1 3
= ×   =
3.5 7 1 7
v c1
4 ∴ = 1.633 : 1
∴ Wp = × 3.5 v c2
7
Wp = 2 kg wt. T2 ∝ r3
2 3
 T1   r1 
6. The radii of orbits of two satellites ∴   =  
revolving around the earth are in the  T2   r2 
ratio 3 : 8 Compare their 2
i) cricital speed  T1  3
3

ii) period of revolution ∴   =  

 T2  8
Given :
3 /2
r1 3 T1 3
= =  
r2 8 T2 8
To find : ∴ T1 : T2 = 0.2296 : 1
v c1
i) = ? 7. Calculate the escape velocity of a body
v c2
from the surface of the earth [Average
density of earth = 5.5 × 103 kg/m3, G =
T1
ii) = ? 6.67 × 10–11 Nm2/kg2, radius of earth R =
T2 6.4 × 106 m]
Formula : Given :
ρ = 5.5 × 103 kg/m3
GM
i) vc = R = 6.4 × 106 m
r G = 6.67 × 10–11 Nm2/kg2
2 3 To find :
 T1   r1  ve = ?
ii) 2
T ∝ r ; 3
  =  
 T2   r2  Formula :
Solution : 2 πρG
ve = 2R
GM 3
vc = Solution :
r
2 πρG
GM 1 GM 2 ve = 2R
∴ vc = and vc = 3
1 r1 2 r2
ve = 2 × 6.4
v c1 M 1 r2
∴ = × 2 × 3.142 × 6.67 × 10 –11 × 5.5 × 10 3
v c2 M 2 r1 × 106
3
... Both satellites orbits same planet i.e. earth, ∴ ve = 3
11.22 × 10 m/s
v c1 ∴ ve = 11.2 km/s
M 1 r2
= ×
vc M 2 r1
2
Gravitation
 .. 10 MAHESH TUTORIALS SCIENCE

8. Find the binding energy of a body of

mass 50 kg at rest on the surface of the –6.67 × 10–11 × 6 × 1024 × 1000
T.E =
earth 2 ( 6.4 + 1.6 ) × 106
–11 2 2
[Given: G = 6.67 × 10 Nm /kg , R =
6400 km, M = 6 × 1024 kg] –40020 × 107
Given : = = – 2.5 × 1010
2×8
G = 6.67 × 10–11 Nm2/kg2 ∴ T.E = – 2.501 × 1010 J
R = 6400 = 6.4 × 106 m Now, B.E = – TE
M = 6 × 1024 kg, B.E = 2.501 × 1010 J
m = 50kg
To find :
B.E = ? 10. What would have been the duration of
Formula : the year if the distance between the
earth and the sun were half the present
GMm distance ?
B.E =
R Given :
Solution : T1 = 365 days
6.67 × 10–11 × 6 × 10 24 × 50 1
B.E = r2 = r
6.4 × 10 6 2 1
∴ B.E = 3.127 × 109 J r2 1
∴ =
r1 2
9. Find the total energy and binding
To find :
energy of an artificial satellite of mass
T1 = ?
1000 kg orbiting at height of 1600 km
Formula :
above the earth’s surface.
[Given: G = 6.67 × 10 –11 Nm 2 /kg 2 ,  T2 
2
 r2 
3

R = 6400 km, M = 6 × 1024 kg] 2

T ∝ r ; 3
  =  
Given :  T1   r1 
h = 1600km = 1.6 × 106 m Solution :
G = 6.67 × 10 Nm2/kg2,
–11
2 3
R = 6400 = 6.4 × 106 m,  T2   r2 
m = 1000 kg   =  
 T1   r1 
M = 6 × 1024 kg
To find :  T2 
2
1
3
1
T.E = ? ∴  365  =   =
  2 8
B.E = ?
Formula : T2 1
=
GMm 365 8
i) T.E = –
2 (R + h ) 365
ii) B.E = – T.E T2 =
2.828
Solution : ∴ T2 = 129.06 days
GMm
T.E = –
2 (R + h )

Gravitation
MAHESH TUTORIALS SCIENCE .. 11

11. Two bodies of masses 5 kg and To find :

6 × 1024 kg are placed with their centers G = ?
6.4 × 106 m apart. Calculate the force of Formula :
attraction between the two masses. Also GM
find the initial acceleration of the two g =
masses [Assume that no other forces act R2
on them.]. Solution :
Given : GM
m1 = 5kg, g =
R2
m2 = 6 × 1024 kg
r = 6.4 × 106 m gR 2
To find : ∴ G =
M
F = ?
a1 = ? ... (For m1) 2

a2 = ? ... (For m2)

G =
(
9.774 × 64 × 10 5 )
Formula : 6 × 10 24
m 1m 2 ∴ G = 6.672 × 10–11 N/m2
i) F = G 2
r
ii) F = ma 13. Assuming the earth to be a
Solution : homogeneous sphere, determine the
m 1m 2 density of the earth from following
F = G data.
r2
[g = 9.8 m/s2, G = 6.673 × 10–11 Nm2/kg2,
6.67 × 10 –11 × 5 × 6 × 10 24 R = 6400 km]
F = 2 Given :
( 6.4 × 10 )6
g = 9.8 m/s2
F = 48.85 N G = 6.672 × 10–11 Nm2/kg2
F = ma R = 6400 km
∴ F = m1a1 = 6.4 × 106 m
F 48.85 To find :
∴ a1 = = ρ = ?
m1 5
Formula :
2
∴ a1 = 9.774 m/s
4
F 48.85 g = π ρG
πRρ
Also, a2 = = 3
m2 6 × 10 24 Solution :
∴ a2 = 8.141 × 10–24 m/s2
3g
ρ =
12. Find the value of G from the following 4πRG
data : [M = 6 × 1024 kg, R = 6400 km, 3 × 9.8
g = 9.774 m/s2] ρ =
4 π × 6.4 × 10 6 × 6.673 × 10 –11
Given :
M = 6 × 1024 kg ∴ ρ = 5478 kg/m3
R = 6400 km
= 64 × 105 m
g = 9.774 m/s2
Gravitation
 .. 12 MAHESH TUTORIALS SCIENCE

14. The mass of body on surface of the earth

is 100 kg. What will be its
i) mass and
ii) weight at an altitude of 1000 km ?
(R = 6400 km, g = 9.8 m/s2)
Given :
M = 100 kg
R = 6400 km
= 6.4 × 106m
g = 9.8 m/s2
h = 1000 km
= 106 m
To find :
Mh = ?
Wh = ?
Formula :

g h = g  1 – 2h  ... (For small height)

 R 
Solution :
Mass of the body does not depends on
height
∴ Mh = 100 kg

gh = g  1 – 2h 
 R 

 2 × 10 6 
∴ gh = g1– 
 6.4 × 10 6
 
gh = 9.8 (1 – 0.3125)
gh = 6.737
Since, Wh = mgh
= 100 × 6.737
Wh = 673.7 N

Gravitation