At what point between two equal masses does the gravitational force become zero?
Practice Questions
Q1
At what point between two equal masses does the gravitational force become zero?
At the midpoint
At a point closer to one mass
At a point closer to the other mass
It never becomes zero
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
At what point between two equal masses does the gravitational force become zero?
Correct Answer: Midpoint between the two masses
Step 1: Identify the two equal masses. Let's call them Mass A and Mass B.
Step 2: Understand that gravitational force is attractive and acts between the two masses.
Step 3: Recognize that the force exerted by Mass A on an object is equal to the force exerted by Mass B on the same object if the object is at the same distance from both masses.
Step 4: The point where the gravitational forces from both masses are equal and opposite is where they cancel each other out.
Step 5: Since the masses are equal, this cancellation occurs exactly halfway between them.
Step 6: Therefore, the gravitational force becomes zero at the midpoint between Mass A and Mass B.
Gravitational Force – The force of attraction between two masses, which decreases with distance.
Equilibrium Point – The point where the gravitational forces from two equal masses balance each other out.
