Grade 10 Science | CDC Nepal

Gravitation & Newton's Law

"Explore how every object in the universe attracts every other object."

Warm-Up Activity

Why does an apple fall toward the Earth instead of flying upward?

Concept of Gravitation

Gravitation is the force of attraction between any two objects in the universe due to their masses.

Examples in Daily Life & Space:

  • The Earth attracts an apple.
  • The Moon revolves around the Earth.
  • The Earth revolves around the Sun.
  • We remain standing on the Earth's surface because of gravity.
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Gravitational Force

Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation

"Every object in the universe attracts every other object with a force which is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers."

The Formula

$$ F = G \frac{m_1 m_2}{r^2} $$

F = Gravitational force

G = Universal gravitational constant

$m_1$ & $m_2$ = Masses of two bodies

r = Distance between their centers

Value of G:

$$ G = 6.67 \times 10^{-11} \, Nm^2/kg^2 $$

Interactive Lab: Play with Mass & Distance

Observe how force changes! Try changing the mass!

Calculated Force

0 N

m₁
m₂

3D Space Simulation

"The motion of planets and satellites is possible because of gravitational attraction."
Science is pulling us together!

Derivation Step-by-Step

Step 1:

Force is directly proportional to the product of masses (if distance is constant):

$$ F \propto m_1 m_2 $$ ... (i)

Concept Check

Click the correct answer below. Instant feedback provided!

Visual Diagrams

1. Two Masses Attraction

m₁ m₂ Distance (r) F F

2. Inverse Square Law

Distance
r Force: F
Distance
2r Force: F/4
Distance
3r Force: F/9

As distance increases, force drops rapidly!

Numerical Problems

Try solving these! Click "Show Solution" to check your steps.

Chapter Summary

  • Gravitation is the attractive force between any two objects.
  • Newton’s universal law applies to all objects in the universe.
  • Gravitational force increases when mass increases.
  • Gravitational force decreases when distance increases.
  • Formula: $$F = G \frac{m_1 m_2}{r^2}$$
  • $$G = 6.67 \times 10^{-11} Nm^2/kg^2$$

My Observation Log

Think about the simulation and write down your answers:

  1. What happens when both masses are increased?
  2. What happens when distance is increased?
  1. Why is gravitational force between classroom objects very small?
  2. Why is Earth’s gravitational force large?

Final Quiz

Test your knowledge! Answer all 10 questions and submit.