the mass of the Moon is about one-

eightieth that of the Earth’s.

LESSON 2.7
Understanding
Acceleration due to gravity, g
gravity
Gravitational Force From the definition of the gravitational
field strength,
Sir Isaac Newton said that every mass g = F …………………
in universe attracts every other mass (1)
with a gravitational force. The m
magnitude of the force is big if one of According to Newton’s second law of
the object is massive and the distance motion,
between them is small. Both objects F = ma
pulls on each other with the same ………………….(2)
gravitational force even one of the
objects is tiny and the other massive,
like and apple and the earth.
According to Newton , all objects are
pulled by this force which causes them
to fall to the surface of earth.
This force which originates from the Substituting for F ,
centre of the Earth pulls all objects a = g = 9.8 ms-2
towards the ground.
So, the acceleration due to gravity ,
Gravitational Field g , is equal
9.8 ms-2 for Earth.
Gravitational field is a region in which All objects on the Earth fall with the
an on objects experiences a force due same acceleration due to gravity
to gravity. regardless of their size or mass.
The earth’s gravitational field extends
out into space , in all directions. This Free fall
field gets weaker the father you go out
from the centre of the Earth. An object falls with an acceleration
due to gravity, g is said to be free
Gravitational field strength , g falling.
This happen when the object falls
The gravitational field strength , g is without encountering any resistance.
defined as force per unit m. The following graph shows he graph
g = F velocity against time of any free-
m falling object :
The unit of the gravitational field
strength , g
is N kg-1
The gravitational field strength , g of
the Earth is
9.8 N kg-1 .
The gravitational field strength , g of
the Moon is only 1.6 N kg-1 because
The gradient of the graph is 9.8 ms-2

43
From the equation s = ut + ½ at2 ,
(b) the value of x
u=o , a=g

Thus s = ½ gt2 Solution

t= 2s
g

These means that the time for free fall

will depend upon
(i) height from where the object is let
go off Weight, (W)
(ii) the value of the acceleration due
gravity The weight , W of an object is the
gravitational force exerted on it .
The free fall time does not depend on
(i) the mass of the object From F = ma , a=g
(ii) the shape of the path (straight line
or parabola) Hence W = mg

Example 1 The S.I. units of weight is Newton (N)

A man release a stone into a well. If
the distance between the top of the
well and the water surface is 30 m ,
what is the time taken for the stone to
reach the surface of the water.
Solution
Example 2
Example 3
An astronaut who landed on the moon
brought back a stone. On the Moon’s
surface, the stone had a weight of 8.0
N . On weighing the stone on Earth , a
weight of 50 N is recorded.
( acceleration due to gravity for Earth
is 9.81 ms-2)
Calculate ,
(a) the mass of the stone on Earth
(b) acceleration due to gravity for
Moon

Solution:

The difference between mass and

weigh

Mass Weight
Is the quantity Is the
of matter in gravitational
an object force
A trolley moving with a uniform
The S.I units is The S.I. units is
velocity of 5 ms-1 on a table . The
Kilogram Newton
height of the table is 1.25 m.
A base A derived
Calculate
quantity quantity
(a) time taken to reach the floor

44
A scalar A vector
quantity quantity
Measured with Measured with
an inertial a spring
balance or a balance
chemical
balance
Is fixed at all Varies from
places place to place

3 The diagram shows a coin, marble

and dried leaf being released at
the same time in a vacuum
cylinder.

Which observation is correct?

A All three objects float in the

cylinder
B All the three objects reach the
base at the
same time
C The marble reaches the base
earlier than coin
D The coin and the marble reach
the base earlier than the dried
leaf
TUTORIAL
2.7 4 A ball falls freely near the surface
1 An object falls freely . Which of the Earth. Which quantity
velocity- time graph shows how remains constant?
the object’s velocity varies ?

2 Which diagram shows the graph

velocity-time for rocks fall freely
on the Earth and on the Moon?

45

A Speed
B Velocity
C Acceleration
5 Diagram shows two identical balls
are released from a 20 m tower at
the same time. One falls from the
top, the other from half way up.
B Weight is measured in
kilogram
C Weight is the quantity of
matter in an object
D Weight depends on the
acceleration due to gravity
9 An astronaut’s boots weight 100 N
on Earth where the acceleration of
the free fall is 10 ms-2.
How much will they weight on
Mars where the acceleration of
free fall is 4 ms-2 ?
A 25 N B 40 N
C 100 N D 200 N
E 250 N

10 A steel ball falls from a high

building and it takes 4.0 s to reach
Which quantity is the same for the ground. Calculate the height of
both balls? the building.

A Final speed B Acceleration A 40 m B 80 m

C Time of travel C 120 m D 160 m
E 240 m
6 Which property of a body is
affected by change in 11 An object is dropped from a height
gravitational field? 50 m. Calculate the time taken to
reach the ground.
A Mass B Weight
C Volume D Temperature A 1.0 s B 2.2 s
C 3.2 s D 5.0 s
7 The time taken for an object to fall E 100 s
from a height of h m from the
earth’s surface is t s. 12 An iron ball is dropped from a
If the gravitational acceleration on height of 10 m above the surface
the Moon is 1.6 ms-2 , compare the of the Moon. Calculate the time
time taken for the object to fall taken for the iron ball to reach the
from the same height on the surface of the Moon. [ Moon
Moon. gravitational acceleration = 1 of
Earth gravitational acceleration ]
A Same as t s 6
B Less than t s
C Longer than t s A 0.6 s B 1.4 s
C 1.7 s D 3.5 s
8 Which of the following statement E 12.0 s
is true
13 Figure shows a ball is released
A Weight is a scalar quantity from a building of a building of a

46
 height 12.0 m with a horizontal (b) After B , the ball falls and
velocity 12 ms-1 . reaches the floor at C.
Calculate
(i) the time taken to reach the
floor.

(ii) the horizontal distance on

the floor reaches by the
What is the horizontal distance ball.
travelled by the ball?

A 12 m B 24m (c) If the ball of mass 200g is

C 28 m D 32 m replaced with a ball of mass
E 64 m 100 g, what happens to

(i) the time taken to reach

the floor.

14 Figure shows a ball of mass 200 g ………………………………………

is moving on a smooth table of …………
height 5 m with an uniform
velocity of 5 ms-1 from A to B at (ii) the horizontal distance on
distance 3 m. the floor reaches by the
ball.

………………………………………
…………

15 The following figure is a

(a) What is
(i) The weight of the ball?
(ii) The acceleration of the ball
along the surface of the
table.
stroboscopic photograph shows
two steel balls in a state of free-
ball. Both balls are dropped
simultaneously from the same
height.

(iii) The time taken to move

from A to B

47
 …………………………………
………..
(iii) State how the mass of a
ball affect the value of the
physical quantity stated in
(c)(i).

…………………………………
………..

(a) Observe the photograph and
state two similarities between
the positions of the balls.
…………………………………………
………..
…………………………………
………..
(d) A ball is thrown vertically
upwards at a certain velocity.
(i) What happens to the
motion of the ball as it
moves upwards?

…………………………………………
……….. …………………………………
………..
…………………………………………
………..
…………………………………
………………………………………… ………..
……….. (ii) Give one reason for your
answer.
…………………………………………
………..
(b) Name one physical quantity
which causes the ball to fall. …………………………………………..

…………………………………………
……… …………………………………………..
(c) Based on the positions of the
free-falling 16 Figure (a) shows a feather and a
balls, there is a physical water droplet falling from the
quantity that is constant. same height. The mass of the
(i) Name the quantity. feather and the water droplet is
the same and both are dropped
simultaneously at time t = 0.
………………………………………
…..
(ii) What is the value of the
quantity and
its unit?

48
 ……………………………………………
…………..

……………………………………………
…………..

The graph in Figure (b) shows the

motion of the feather and the ……………………………………………
water droplet from t = 0. …………..

……………………………………………
…………..
(d) Using the answer in (b) and (c) ,
state the relationship between the
surface area and the final velocity.

……………………………………………
…………..
(a) Name one force acting on the
feather and the water droplet.
……………………………………………
…………..
………………………………………
…………
(b) Using Figure(a) , compare the ……………………………………………
surface area of the feather and …………..
the water droplet. (e) The feather and the water droplet
are dropped in a vacuum. Sketch a
………………………………………… velocity-time graph to show the
……….. motion of both objects.

…………………………………………
………..
(c) Using the graph in Figure(b)
,compare the changes in the
velocity of the feather and the
water droplet.

……………………………………………
…………..
17 Figure(a) shows a sky-diver is
jumping out of a plane at a certain
……………………………………………
height.
…………..

49
Figure(b) shows a graph velocity –
time for the motion of the sky – (d) (i) Suggest a way how the
diver at positions S , T, U ,V and W sky-diver
from the ground. landing to avoid
sustaining any bodily
injuries.

…………………………………
………..

…………………………………
………..
(ii) Give the reason for your
answer in (d)(i)

Based on the Figure(b),

(a) (i) What is the position of the …………………………………
sky-diver ………..
when he opens his
parachute? …………………………………
………..
…………………………………
………
(ii) Give one reason for
your answer in (a)(i)

…………………………………
………

…………………………………
………
(b) Calculate the acceleration of
the sky-diver at region ST

(c) In space below sketch a graph

acceleration-time for the
motion of the sky-diver at the
positions S,T,U,V and W.

50