A student claims that gravitational fields exist between objects that are not in contact with each other. She creates a diagram of two figures. The width of the arrows in Figure A and Figure B represent the strength of the gravitational attraction between two objects.

Question

Image

The student claims the gravitational force is greater between the objects in Figure A. Which argument best supports her claim?

A.
The masses of the objects in Figure A are less than the masses of the objects in Figure B.

B.
The diameters of the objects in Figure A are greater than the diameters of the objects in Figure B.

C.
The distance between the objects in Figure A is shorter than the distance between the objects in Figure B.

D.
The surface area of the larger object in Figure A is greater than the surface area of the larger object in Figure B.

Answer 1

The best argument that supports the student's claim that the gravitational force is greater between the objects in Figure A is:

C. The distance between the objects in Figure A is shorter than the distance between the objects in Figure B.

According to Newton's law of universal gravitation, the gravitational force between two objects is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. This means that as the distance decreases, the gravitational attraction increases. Therefore, if the distance between the objects in Figure A is shorter than that in Figure B, the gravitational force would indeed be greater in Figure A.