Question

Use the table of the masses of several objects to answer the question.

Mass In Grams Of Common Objects
Object Mass (grams)
paper clip 1.0
penny 2.5
book 860
cereal box 500
small pot 1,200
Between which two objects is gravitational attraction the greatest if placed 1 meter apart?

(1 point)
Responses

between the paper clip and the penny
between the paper clip and the penny

between the book and the cereal box
between the book and the cereal box

between the penny and the small pot
between the penny and the small pot

between the small pot and the book

Answer 1

Gravitational force ∝ product of the two masses. Products:

- paper clip × penny = 1 × 2.5 = 2.5
- book × cereal box = 860 × 500 = 430,000
- penny × small pot = 2.5 × 1200 = 3,000
- small pot × book = 1200 × 860 = 1,032,000

The largest product is 1,032,000, so the attraction is greatest between the small pot and the book.