A person states that the gravitational force between two objects depends upon the mass of the objects and the distance between them. Which argument best supports the person’s statement?
The argument that best supports the person's statement is the formulation of the universal law of gravitation by Sir Isaac Newton. Newton's law states that the gravitational force between two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. This mathematical equation, F = G * (m1 * m2) / r^2, clearly shows that the force of gravity depends on the mass of the objects (m1 and m2) and the distance between them (r). This further validates the person's statement that the gravitational force is influenced by mass and distance.
The best argument to support the person's statement comes from Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation. According to Newton's law, the gravitational force between two objects is directly proportional to the mass of both objects and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This mathematical relationship is expressed as:
F = (G * m1 * m2) / r^2
Where:
- F represents the gravitational force
- G is the gravitational constant
- m1 and m2 are the masses of the two objects
- r is the distance between the centers of the two objects
This formula clearly shows that the gravitational force depends on the masses of the objects (m1 and m2) as well as the distance between them (r). Therefore, the argument based on Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation strongly supports the person's statement.
The argument that best supports the person's statement is Newton's law of universal gravitation.
To understand how to get the answer, first, we need to know the basic concept of Newton's law of universal gravitation. According to this law, the gravitational force between two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.
To use this law to support the person's statement, you can explain it in the following manner:
1. Start by stating Newton's law of universal gravitation: The gravitational force (F) between two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses (m1 and m2) and inversely proportional to the square of the distance (r) between their centers.
Mathematically, the equation is expressed as: F = G (m1 * m2) / (r^2), where G is the gravitational constant.
2. Emphasize the role of mass: According to the law, the gravitational force depends on the mass of the objects. This means that if the mass of one or both objects increases, the gravitational force between them will also increase. Similarly, if the mass decreases, the gravitational force decreases.
3. Highlight the role of distance: The law also states that the gravitational force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the objects. In other words, as the distance increases, the gravitational force decreases. Conversely, as the distance decreases, the gravitational force increases.
By combining these two factors, mass and distance, we can conclude that the gravitational force between two objects is indeed dependent upon these variables. This supports the person's statement.