Question

according to the law of universal gravitation, what happens to the gravitational force between two objects as the distance between them increases?
○ the gravitational force decreases
○ the gravitational force becomes zero
○ the gravitational force increases
○ the gravitational force remains the same

Explanation:

The Law of Universal Gravitation states that the gravitational force \( F \) between two objects is given by \( F = G\frac{m_1m_2}{r^2} \), where \( G \) is the gravitational constant, \( m_1 \) and \( m_2 \) are the masses of the objects, and \( r \) is the distance between their centers. As the distance \( r \) increases, the denominator \( r^2 \) increases, so the gravitational force \( F \) decreases (since force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance). The force does not become zero (there's always a gravitational pull between objects with mass), it does not increase (distance and force have an inverse relationship), and it does not remain the same (the formula shows it depends on distance). So the correct option is the one stating the gravitational force decreases.

Answer:

A. The gravitational force decreases