Question Details

Two identical spheres are placed in contact with each other. The force of gravitation between the spheres will be proportional to (R = radius of each sphere)

Options

A

R

B

C

R⁴

D

None of these

Correct Answer :

R⁴

Solution :

The correct option is R⁴.

Let's analyze the gravitational force between two identical spheres placed in contact step-by-step.

Step 1: Express the mass of each sphere in terms of its radius
For a sphere of radius R and uniform density ρ, the mass M is given by the formula:
M=Volume×density
M=43πR3ρ

From this equation, we can see that the mass of each sphere is proportional to the cube of its radius:
MR3

Step 2: Determine the distance between the centers of the two spheres
Since the two identical spheres are placed in contact with each other, the distance d between their centers is equal to the sum of their radii:
d=R+R=2R

Step 3: Apply Newton's Law of Gravitation
According to Newton's law of gravitation, the force of attraction F between two masses M separated by a distance d between their centers is:
F=GM2d2

Step 4: Substitute the values of mass and distance into the force equation
Substituting M=43πR3ρ and d=2R into the gravitational force equation gives:
F=G43πR3ρ2(2R)2

Simplifying the expression:
F=G·169π2R6ρ24R2
F=49Gπ2ρ2R4

Conclusion
Since G, π, and ρ are constants, the gravitational force F is directly proportional to R4:
FR4

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