23.

GRAVITATION

SECTION - I : STRAIGHT OBJECTIVE TYPE

23.1 A tunnel is dug along the diameter of the earth (Radius R & mass M). There is a particle of
mass ‘m’ at the centre of the tunnel. The minimum velocity given to the particle so that it just
reaches to the surface of the earth is :
GM GM
(A) (B)
R 2R

2GM
(C) (D) it will reach with the help of negligible velocity.
R

23.2 A cavity of radius R/2 is made inside a solid sphere of radius R. The centre of the cavityi
is located at a distance R/2 from the centre of the sphere. The gravitational force on a
particle of mass ‘m’ at a distance R/2 from the centre of the sphere on the line joining both
the centres of sphere and cavity is (opposite to the centre of cavity). [Here g = GM/R2, where
M is the mass of the sphere]
mg 3mg mg
(A) (B) (C) (D) none of these
2 8 16

23.3 A satellite is launched in the equatorial plane in such a wayi that it can transmit signals upto
60° latitude on the earth. The angular velocity of the satellite is :

GM GM GM 3 3GM
(A) 3 (B) 3 (C) 3 (D)
8R 2R 4R 8R3

23.4 A satellite is seen after each 8 hours over equator at a place on the earth when its sense
of rotation is opposite to the earth. The time interval after which it can be seen at the same
place when the sense of rotation of earth & satellite is same will be :
(A) 8 hours (B) 12 hours (C) 24 hours (D) 6 hours

23.5 Four similar particles of mass m are orbiting in a circle of radius r in the same angular direction
because of their mutual gravitational attractive force. Velocity of a particle is given by:
m

r
m m

1 1
 Gm  1  2 2   2 Gm Gm  1 GM  1  2   2
(A)   
4  
(B) 3
r
(C)
r
1 2 2  (D)    
 r   2 r  2  
23.6 There particles P,Q and R placed as per given figure. Masses T
S(m)
U
of P, Q and R are 3 m, 3 m and m respectively. The
gravitational force on a fourth particle ‘S’ of mass m is equal to
3 GM2 3d
(A) 2 in ST direction only
2d

3 GM2 3 GM2 P 3d d R
(B) in SQ direction and in SU direction ( 3m) Q (m)
2d2 2d2 ( 3m)

3 GM2
(C) in SQ direction only
2d2

3 GM2 3 GM2
(D) in SQ direction and in ST direction
2d2 2d2

23.7 The gravitational potential of two homogeneous spherical shells A and B of same surface
density at their respective centres are in the ratio 3 : 4. If the two shells coalesce into single
one such that surface density remains same, then the ratio of potential at and internal point
of the new shell to shell A is equal to:
(A) 3 : 2 (B) 4 : 3 (C) 5 : 3 (D) 5 : 6

23.8 A point P lies on the axis of a fixed ring of mass M and radius R, at a distance 2R from
its centre O. A small particle starts from P and reaches O under gravitational attraction only.
Its speed at O will be
2GM 2GM 2 GM  1 
(A) zero (B)
R
(C)
R
 
5 – 1 (D)
R 
1 –
5


23.9 Gravitational field at the centre of a semicircle formed bt a thin wire AB of mass m and length
l is :
GM GM y
(A) 2 along +x axis (B) 2 along+y axis
  l

2 GM 2 GM
(C) 2 along +x axis (D) along +y axis A O B X
 2

23.10 The percentage change in the acceleration of the earth towards the sun from a total eclipse
of the sun to the point where the moon is on a side of earth directly opposite to the sun is
2 2 2
MS r2 MS  r2   r2  MS r  M
(A) M r X100 (B)   X100
(C) 2   X100 (D)  2  M X100
m 1 Mm  r1   r1  Mm  r1  MS
MS = mass of the sun, MM=mass of the moon, r1=earth sun distance, r2=earth moon distance.
M
23.11 A particle of mass M is at a distance ‘a’ from surface of a thin spherical shell
of uniform equal mass and having radius a. M
(A) Gravitational field & potential both are zero at centre of the shell a
(B) Gravitational field is xero not only inside the shell but at a point outside a
the shell also
 (C) Inside the shell, gravitational field alone is zero
(D) Neither gravitational field nor gravitational potential is zero inside the shell.

23.12 A small area is removed from a uniform spherical shell of mass M and radius R. Then the
gravitational field intensity near the hollow portion is
GM GM 3GM
(A) 2 (B) 2 (C) (D) Zero
R 2R 2R2

M
23.13 A uniform thin rod of mass m and length R is placed normally on surface
of earth as shown. The mass of earth is M and its radius is R. Then the R
m
mafgnitude of gravitational force exerted by earth on the rod is
GMm GMm 4GMm GMm
(A) 2 (B) 2 (C) 2 (D)
2R 4R 9R 8R2

23.14 Two particles of combined mass M, placed in space with certain separtion, are released.
Interaction between the particles is only of gravitational nature and there is no external force
present. Acceleration of one particle with respect to he other when separation between them
is R, has a magnitude:
GM GM 2GM
(A) 2 (B) 2 (C) (D) not possible to
2R R R2
calculate due to lack of information

23.15 Maximum height reached by a rocket fired with a speed equal to 50% of the escape velocity
from earth’s surface is:
(A) R/2 (B) 16R/9 (C) R/3 (D) R/8

SECTION-II : MULTIPLE CORRECT ANSWER TYPE

23.16 A double star is a system of two stars of masses m and 2m, rotating about their centre of
mass only under their mutual gravitational attraction. If r is the separation between these two
stars then their time period of rotation about their centre of mass will be proportional to
(A) r3/2 (B) r (C) m1/2 (D) m–1/2

23.17 A tunnel is dug along a chord of the earth at a perpendicular distance R/2 from the earth’s
centre. The wall of the tunnel may be assumed to be frictionless. A particle is released from
one end of thetunnel. The pressing force by the particle on thewall, and the acceleration of
the particle varies with × (distance of the particle from the centre) according to:
Pressing Pressing acceleration acceleration
Force Force

(A) (B) (C) (D)

x x x x
x=R/2 x=R x=R/2 x=R x=R/2 x=R x=R/2 x=R

23.18 A satellite revolves around a planet in circular orbit of radius R (much larger than the radius
of the planet) with a time period of revolutionT. If the stellite is stopped and then released inits
orbit (Assume that the stellite experiences gravitational force due to the planet only).
(A) It will fall into the planet
 T
(B) The time of fall of the satellite is nearly
8

2T
(C) The time of fall of the stellite into the planet is nearly
8
(D) It cannot fall into the planet so time of fall of the stellite is meaningless

SECTION - III : ASSERTION AND REASON TYPE

STATEMENT-1 : In free space a uniform spherical planet of mass

M has a smooth narrow tunnel along its diameter. This planet and
M
another superdense small particle of mass M start approaching
towrds each other from rest under action of their gravitational
forces. When the particle passes through the centre of the planet,
sum of kinetic energies of both the bodies is maximum.
STATEMENT-2 : When the resultant of all forces acting on a particle or a particle like object
(initially at rest) in constant in direction, the kinetic energy of the particle keeps on increasing.
(A) Statement-1 is True, Statement-2 is True; Statement-2 is a correct explanation for
Statement-1.
(B) Statement-1 is True, Statement-2 is True; Statement-2 is NOT a correct explanation for
Statement-1
(C) Statement-1 is True, Statement-2 is False
(D) State,emt-1 os False, Statement-2 is True

SEFCTION - IV : COMPREHENSION TYPE

Comprehension-1
Changing from a circular to An elliptical orbit
Let us identify kthe system as the spacecraft and the Eathe but not jthepotion of the fuelin
the spacecraft that we use to change the orbit. In a given orbit, the mechanical enegy of the
GMm
spacecraft - Earth system is given by E= –
2r
This energy includes the kinetic energy of the spacecraft and the potential energy associated
wit the gravitational force between the spacecraft and the Eart. If the rocket engines are fired,
the thrust force moves the spacecraft through a displacement. As a result, the mechanical
energy of the spacecraft – Earth system increases.

The spacecraft has a new higher enegy but is cosntrained to be in

Elliptical
an orbit theat includes the original starting point. It can not be in a orbit
higher energy circular orbit having a larger radius because this orbit Circular
orbit
would not contain the starting point. The only possibility is that the
orbit is ellipitical as shown in figure.

Earth

Rocket engine
is fired here

23.20 If the spacecraft-eath system had initial energy (–E0), then the; total mechanical energy of
th system after firing the rocket will be:
(A) –1.1 E0 (B) –0.9 E0 (C) –E0 (D) None of these
23.21 Semimajor axis of the new elliptical orbit is
6.7  104 6.4  104 7.1 104 6.1 104
(A) Km (B) Km (C) Km (D) Km
9 9 9 9

23.22 Maximum height of the spacecraft above the surface of the Earth will be:
1.06  104 0.61 104 1.61 104
(A) km. (B) km (C) 300 km (D) km
9 9 9

SECTION - V : MATRIX TYPE

23.23 A satellite is revolving round the earth in a circular orbit of radius ‘a’ with velocity v0. A particle
 5 
is projected from the stellite in forward direction with relative velocity v=  4 – 1 v 0 . During
 
subsequent motion of particle, match the following:

Column-I Column - ll
3GMem
(a) Total kenergy of particle (1) –
a
5 GMem
(b) Minimum distance of particle from the earth (2) –
8 a
(c) Maximum distance of particle from the earth (3) 5a/3
(4) 2a/3
(5) a
correct answer is :
(A) a – 2, b – 3, c – 4 (B) a – 1, b – 6, c – 3
(C) a – 2, b – 5, c – 3 (D) a – 1, b – 5, c – 4

23.24 Let V and E denote the gravitational potentialand gravitational field respectively at a point due
to certainj uniform mass distribution described in four different situations of column-I. Assume
the gravitational potential at infinityi to be zero. The value of E and V are given in column-
II. Match the statement in column-I with results in column-II.
Column - I Column - ll
(A) At centre of thin spherical shell (p) E = 0
(B) At centre of solid sphere (q) E  0
(C) A solid sphere has a non-concentric spherical cavity.
At the centre of the spherical cavity (r) V  0
(D) At centre kof line joining two point masses jof equal magnitude (s) V = 0

SECTION - VI : SUBJECTIVE ANSWER TYPE

SHORT SUBJECTIVE

23.25 Ravi can throw a ball at a speed on earth which can cross a river of width 10 m. Ravi
reaches on an imaginary planet whose mean density is twice of the earth. Find out the
maximum possible radius of planet so that if Ravi throwa the ball ath same speed it may
escape from planet. Given radius of earth = 6.4 × 106m.
 LONG SUBJECTIVE

23.26 The gravitational field in a region is given by E  (3iˆ – 4 ˆj) N/kg. Find out the work done
(in joule ) in displacing a particle by 1 m along the line 4y = 3x + 9.
V1
23.27 A particle is projected from point A , that is at a distance 4R from the centre 30°
of the ear6th, with speed V 1 in a direction making 30 with the line A
joining the centre of the earth and point A, as shown. Find the speed V1 if
particle passes grazing the surface of the earth. Consider gravitational
4R
 GM 
interaction only between these two.  use  6.4X107 m2 / S2 
 R 
X R
Express you answer in the form m/s and fill value of X. V2
2