Gravitational Fields and Forces

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What is a gravitational field?

A region of space around a mass where another mass experiences a force of gravity.

How does acceleration due to gravity vary with latitude?

It varies due to Earth's rotation and shape; it's slightly less at the equator than at the poles.

What factors affect the time it takes for an object to reach the ground?

Height, initial velocity, air resistance, and gravitational acceleration influence the time.

How does air friction affect falling objects?

Air friction or drag slows down objects and reduces their acceleration.

What is the gravitational force between two objects?

The attractive force acting between two masses, proportional to their product and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

Define gravitational acceleration.

The acceleration experienced by an object due to the force of gravity, typically 9.8 m/s² on Earth.

What is air resistance?

A force acting opposite to the relative motion of any object moving with respect to a surrounding fluid.

Explain gravity's action at a distance.

Gravity acts over distance without physical contact, pulling objects toward one another.

Why does gravity vary with altitude?

Gravitational force decreases with increasing distance from Earth's center.

What is the equation for gravitational force?

F = G * (m1 * m2) / r² where G is the gravitational constant.

Describe the role of mass in gravitational fields.

Mass determines both the strength of the gravitational field produced and the response to other fields.

How does gravitational force relate to field strength?

Gravitational field strength is the force per unit mass experienced by a small test mass in the field.

What is uniform gravitational field?

An area where gravitational field strength is constant in magnitude and direction.

Explain Earth's gravitational field lines.

They are imaginary lines that indicate the direction of gravity, pointing towards Earth's center.

How is a gravitational field represented visually?

Through field lines pointing radially inward from the mass creating the field.