Which of the following is NOT a statement of the Universal law of gravitation?

A. Gravitational force is always attractive
B. Gravitational force diminishes with the increase of distance of separation between two objects
C. Gravitational force is independent of mass
D. The law is applicable for small mass objects as well as planets

The statement that is NOT part of the Universal Law of Gravitation is C: 'Gravitational force is independent of mass.' This is incorrect because the gravitational force actually depends on the masses of the objects. Options A, B, and D correctly describe the law's principles.
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Answered by Anonymous | 2025-07-04

The Universal Law of Gravitation is a fundamental principle in physics that describes the attractive force between two masses. Here are the key points:

Attractive Force : The gravitational force is always attractive, meaning it always pulls objects toward each other. So, statement (A) is true.

Dependence on Distance : The gravitational force diminishes with an increase in the distance of separation between two objects. Mathematically, this is represented by the formula:
F = r 2 G ⋅ m 1 ​ ⋅ m 2 ​ ​
where:

F is the gravitational force,
G is the gravitational constant,
m 1 ​ and m 2 ​ are the masses of the two objects,
r is the distance between the centers of the two masses.

Therefore, statement (B) is correct.

Dependence on Mass : Gravitational force depends on the masses of the interacting objects, as seen in the formula above. It is directly proportional to the product of the masses. Hence, statement (C) is incorrect.

Applicability : The law is applicable for small mass objects as well as for large objects like planets. This universality is a key feature of gravitational force, making statement (D) true.


Thus, the statement that is NOT a statement of the Universal Law of Gravitation is (C): Gravitational force is independent of mass.

Answered by DanielJosephParker | 2025-07-06