9702 · 13.2
Gravitational force between point masses
Cambridge 9702 Paper 4 - Gravitational force between point masses (13.2). Senpai Corner diagram-backed pilot with premium structure and live visuals.
Need to know
What you need to know
- 13.2 Gravitational force between point masses.
- For a point outside a uniform sphere, the mass of the sphere may be considered to be a point mass at its centre.
- A uniform sphere is one where its mass is distributed evenly .
- The gravitational field lines around a uniform sphere are therefore identical to those around a point mass.
- An object can be regarded as point mass when a body covers a very large distance as compared to its size .
- Radial fields are considered non-uniform fields.
Explanation
Gravitational force between point masses
- 13.2 Gravitational force between point masses.
- For a point outside a uniform sphere, the mass of the sphere may be considered to be a point mass at its centre.
- A uniform sphere is one where its mass is distributed evenly .
- The gravitational field lines around a uniform sphere are therefore identical to those around a point mass.