A student claims that the gravitational force between two objects depends on the mass of the objects and the distance between them. Which argument best supports the student's claim?
A.

If Earth were much bigger, the gravitational force between Earth and the Moon would be higher.

B.

If Earth were much bigger, the gravitational force between Earth and the Moon would be lower.

C.

If Earth were much bigger, the gravitational force between Earth and the Moon would not change.

D.

If Earth were much bigger, the gravitational force between Earth and the Moon would disappear.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
A.

By Newton's law of universal gravitation, F = G m1 m2 / r^2. Increasing Earth's mass m1 increases F, so a much bigger Earth would exert a stronger gravitational force on the Moon.