Question 1: Define gravity and explain how it influences objects within the Solar System.

Answer: Gravity is the force of attraction between two objects with mass. In the Solar System, gravity keeps planets orbiting the Sun and causes moons to orbit planets.

Question 2: Which of the following best describes the relationship between distance and gravitational force?

Answer: Gravitational force decreases with distance

Question 3: Fill in the blank: The gravitational force between two objects depends on their masses and the __________ distance between them.

Answer: square

Question 4: Describe how gravity affects the orbit of a planet around the Sun.

Answer: Gravity provides the centripetal force necessary for a planet to stay in orbit around the Sun. The balance between the planet's inertia and the Sun's gravitational pull results in a stable orbit.

Question 5: Calculate the gravitational force between two objects with masses of 5 kg and 10 kg separated by a distance of 2 meters. Use the gravitational constant G = 6.674 x 10^-11 N·(m/kg)^2.

Answer: F = (6.674 x 10^-11) * (5 * 10) / (2)^2 = 8.3425 x 10^-11 N

Question 6: Which planet has the strongest gravitational pull relative to its size?

Answer: Jupiter

Question 7: Explain why astronauts appear weightless when they are in space, despite gravity still acting on them.

Answer: Astronauts appear weightless because they are in free fall, constantly falling towards Earth but moving forward fast enough that they keep missing it, creating a sensation of weightlessness.

Question 8: Identify three variables that affect the gravitational force between two objects.

Answer: Mass of the objects, distance between the objects, and the gravitational constant.

Question 9: In what ways does understanding gravity benefit space exploration and technology?

Answer: Understanding gravity helps in designing spacecraft trajectories, predicting planetary motions, and developing stable satellite orbits. It also aids in planning missions to other planets and understanding phenomena like gravitational assists, which improve fuel efficiency and mission success.

Question 10: Describe an experiment or activity that demonstrates the effect of gravity on objects of different masses.

Answer: A common experiment involves dropping objects of different masses from the same height and observing that they hit the ground simultaneously, illustrating that in the absence of air resistance, gravity accelerates all objects equally regardless of mass.