If the mass of the Sun were doubled,the gravitational force on Jupiter due to the Sun would
A) stay the same.
B) be 4 times its present value.
C) be 16 times its present value.
D) be 2 times its present value.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Newton's law of gravitation, the force between two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. Therefore, if the mass of the Sun is doubled, the force of gravity experienced by Jupiter will also double since the distance between them remains the same (assuming circular orbits). Thus, the answer is (D) - it will be 2 times its present value.

If the Mass of the Sun Were Doubled,the Gravitational Force