When the distance between two stars decreases by one-third, the force between them
A)decreases by one-third.
B)decreases by one-half.
C)increases to twice as much.
D)increases to nine times as much.
E)none of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the inverse square law, the force between two stars is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. So, if the distance decreases by one-third (i.e., becomes 2/3 of the original distance), then the force between them increases by (3/2)^2 = 2.25 times or 9/4 times, which is approximately nine times as much. Therefore, the correct option is D) increases to nine times as much.

When the Distance Between Two Stars Decreases by One-Third, the Force