The force of Earth's gravity on a capsule in space increases as it comes closer. When the capsule moves to half its distance, the force toward Earth is then
A)twice.
B)three times greater.
C)four times greater.
D)none of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The force of gravity between two objects is proportional to both their masses and the distance between them. As the distance between the capsule and Earth decreases, the force of gravity increases.

According to the inverse-square law of gravity, the force of gravity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance. This means that if the distance is halved, the force of gravity is multiplied by 2^2 = 4. Therefore, the force toward Earth is four times greater when the capsule moves to half its distance.

The Force of Earth's Gravity on a Capsule in Space