CBSE Class 9 Physics Chapter 9 Gravitation Worksheet with Answers
Gravitation is a foundational chapter in CBSE Class 9 Physics that explains the invisible force holding the universe together—from apples falling in your garden to planets orbiting the Sun. This worksheet provides structured practice across multiple question formats: MCQs for quick concept checks, fill-in-the-blanks for terminology mastery, short-answer questions for formula application, and HOTS long-answer problems for deep understanding. A case study tests your ability to apply gravitation concepts to real-world scenarios. Print this worksheet, attempt it in 90 minutes under exam conditions, then check your answers against the detailed answer key provided at the end.
Key takeaways
- ✓Newton's law of universal gravitation states that every object attracts every other object with a force proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
- ✓Weight (measured in Newtons) is the gravitational force on an object and varies with location, while mass (measured in kilograms) remains constant everywhere in the universe.
- ✓Acceleration due to gravity (g) on Earth's surface is approximately 9.8 m/s² and decreases with altitude and varies slightly with latitude due to Earth's shape and rotation.
- ✓All objects in free fall near Earth's surface accelerate at the same rate regardless of their mass, assuming negligible air resistance—a feather and a hammer fall together in vacuum.
- ✓The universal gravitational constant G is approximately 6.67 × 10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg² and is one of the fundamental constants of nature used in calculating gravitational force between any two masses.
- ✓Weight and mass are related by the formula W = mg, where W is weight in Newtons, m is mass in kilograms, and g is acceleration due to gravity in m/s².
Quick Chapter Recap: Gravitation
- Universal law of gravitation: F = G(m₁m₂)/r² applies to any two masses in the universe
- Weight W = mg is a force (measured in Newtons), while mass m is constant (measured in kilograms)
- Acceleration due to gravity g ≈ 9.8 m/s² on Earth's surface, decreases with height and depth
- Free fall: all objects accelerate equally under gravity alone, independent of their mass
- Gravitational constant G = 6.67 × 10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg² is a universal constant
Section A: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
- Q1. The universal law of gravitation was formulated by: (a) Galileo (b) Newton (c) Kepler (d) Einstein
- Q2. The SI unit of gravitational constant G is: (a) N·m²/kg² (b) N/kg (c) m/s² (d) kg·m/s
- Q3. Two objects of masses 10 kg and 20 kg are separated by 10 m. If the distance is doubled, the gravitational force becomes: (a) Half (b) One-fourth (c) Double (d) Four times
- Q4. An object weighs 60 N on Earth. Its mass is approximately (use g = 10 m/s²): (a) 60 kg (b) 600 kg (c) 6 kg (d) 0.6 kg
- Q5. Acceleration due to gravity on the Moon is about 1/6th that on Earth. A 12 kg object on the Moon has mass: (a) 2 kg (b) 12 kg (c) 72 kg (d) 60 kg
- Q6. Which of these is a vector quantity? (a) Mass (b) Weight (c) Speed (d) Distance
Section B: Fill in the Blanks
- Q7. The force of attraction between any two objects in the universe is called __________.
- Q8. The value of acceleration due to gravity on Earth's surface is approximately __________ m/s².
- Q9. The SI unit of weight is __________.
- Q10. The universal gravitational constant G has the approximate value __________ N·m²/kg².
- Q11. When an object falls freely under gravity alone, it is said to be in __________ fall.
- Q12. Weight of an object is the __________ force acting on it due to gravity.
Section C: True or False Statements
- Q13. Gravitational force is a contact force. (True / False)
- Q14. The mass of an object on the Moon is less than its mass on Earth. (True / False)
- Q15. The value of G is same everywhere in the universe. (True / False)
- Q16. A freely falling object experiences an acceleration of 9.8 m/s² downward near Earth's surface. (True / False)
- Q17. Weight is measured in kilograms. (True / False)
- Q18. Two objects of different masses dropped from the same height in vacuum will reach the ground at the same time. (True / False)
Section D: Short Answer Questions (2-3 marks each)
- Q19. Define mass and weight. State one point of difference between them.
- Q20. State Newton's law of universal gravitation in words and express it as a formula.
- Q21. Why does the value of acceleration due to gravity (g) vary with altitude?
- Q22. What is meant by free fall? Give one example.
- Q23. An object has a mass of 15 kg. Calculate its weight on Earth's surface. (Use g = 10 m/s²)
Section E: Long Answer and HOTS Questions (5 marks each)
- Q24. Derive the relation between acceleration due to gravity (g) at Earth's surface and the universal gravitational constant G, given Earth's mass M and radius R.
- Q25. Two spheres of masses 50 kg and 100 kg are placed 5 meters apart. Calculate the gravitational force of attraction between them. (Use G = 6.67 × 10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg²)
- Q26. Explain why astronauts feel weightless in a spacecraft orbiting Earth, even though Earth's gravitational force still acts on them.
Section F: Case Study Question
Answer Key with Explanations
- A1. (b) Newton — Sir Isaac Newton formulated the universal law of gravitation in 1687.
- A2. (a) N·m²/kg² — The SI unit of G follows from the formula F = G(m₁m₂)/r², rearranged as G = Fr²/(m₁m₂).
- A3. (b) One-fourth — Gravitational force F ∝ 1/r². If r is doubled, F becomes F/(2²) = F/4.
- A4. (c) 6 kg — Using W = mg: 60 = m × 10, so m = 60/10 = 6 kg.
- A5. (b) 12 kg — Mass is an intrinsic property and does not change with location; weight changes, not mass.
- A6. (b) Weight — Weight is a force with magnitude and direction (downward toward Earth's centre), hence a vector. Mass, speed, and distance are scalars.
- A7. gravitation (or gravitational force) — This is the definition from NCERT.
- A8. 9.8 (or 10) — Standard value of g on Earth's surface.
- A9. Newton (or N) — Weight is a force, and the SI unit of force is the Newton.
- A10. 6.67 × 10⁻¹¹ — The universal gravitational constant G, one of nature's fundamental constants.
- A11. free — Free fall is motion under gravity alone, with no other forces.
- A12. gravitational — Weight is specifically the gravitational force on an object.
- A13. False — Gravitational force is a non-contact (or field) force; it acts at a distance without physical contact.
- A14. False — Mass is constant everywhere in the universe; weight changes with location, not mass.
- A15. True — G is a universal constant with the same value throughout the universe.
- A16. True — Near Earth's surface, g ≈ 9.8 m/s² downward, and all freely falling objects accelerate at this rate.
- A17. False — Weight is measured in Newtons (N). Mass is measured in kilograms (kg).
- A18. True — In the absence of air resistance (vacuum), all objects fall with the same acceleration g, so they reach the ground simultaneously.
- A19. Mass is the amount of matter in an object, measured in kilograms, and is constant everywhere. Weight is the gravitational force on an object, measured in Newtons, and varies with location. Difference: mass is a scalar and constant; weight is a vector and location-dependent.
- A20. Newton's law of universal gravitation: Every object in the universe attracts every other object with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centres. Formula: F = G(m₁m₂)/r², where G is the universal gravitational constant.
- A21. The value of g varies with altitude because gravitational force decreases with distance from Earth's centre. At higher altitudes, the distance r increases, and since F ∝ 1/r², the force and hence g decrease. Formula: g_h = g(1 - 2h/R) for small heights h above Earth's radius R.
- A22. Free fall is the motion of an object under the influence of gravity alone, with no other forces acting (such as air resistance). Example: A stone dropped from a height in vacuum, or an astronaut floating in an orbiting spacecraft.
- A23. Given: m = 15 kg, g = 10 m/s². Weight W = mg = 15 × 10 = 150 N. The object weighs 150 Newtons on Earth's surface.
- A24. Consider an object of mass m on Earth's surface (mass M, radius R). Gravitational force: F = GMm/R². Weight: W = mg. Equating: mg = GMm/R². Cancel m: g = GM/R². Hence, acceleration due to gravity at Earth's surface g = GM/R², which depends on Earth's mass and radius but not on the object's mass.
- A25. Given: m₁ = 50 kg, m₂ = 100 kg, r = 5 m, G = 6.67×10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg². Formula: F = G(m₁m₂)/r². Substitute: F = (6.67×10⁻¹¹ × 50 × 100)/5² = (6.67×10⁻¹¹ × 5000)/25 = (6.67×10⁻¹¹ × 200) = 1.334×10⁻⁸ N. The gravitational force is approximately 1.33×10⁻⁸ Newtons.
- A26. Astronauts feel weightless in orbit because they and their spacecraft are both in free fall toward Earth, accelerating at the same rate. There is no normal force pushing up on the astronaut (the floor does not push against their feet), so they experience apparent weightlessness. Earth's gravity is still acting (providing centripetal force for the orbit), but since everything falls together, there is no sensation of weight.
- A27(a). The value of g decreases with increasing altitude because the gravitational force F = GMm/r² is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from Earth's centre. As altitude increases, r increases, causing g to decrease.
- A27(b). Percentage decrease = [(9.8 - 9.65)/9.8] × 100 = (0.15/9.8) × 100 ≈ 1.53%. The decrease is approximately 1.5% from sea level to 5000 m.
- A27(c). Given: m = 10 kg, g at 5000 m = 9.65 m/s². Weight W = mg = 10 × 9.65 = 96.5 N. The object's weight at 5000 m altitude is 96.5 Newtons.
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Tips for Scoring Full Marks in Gravitation Questions
- Memorise and write F = G(m₁m₂)/r², W = mg, g = GM/R² at the start of your exam to avoid mid-problem confusion
- Always include units in every step of numerical solutions—marks are often deducted for missing or incorrect units
- Use NCERT definitions verbatim for terms like gravitation, weight, mass, and free fall to match marking scheme expectations
- Draw neat diagrams where relevant (e.g., Earth and object, forces acting) to illustrate your answer and earn presentation marks
- Practice previous years' CBSE board papers and sample papers to understand question patterns and time management
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between mass and weight in Class 9 Physics Chapter 9 Gravitation?+
Why do all objects fall at the same rate in free fall, regardless of their mass?+
How is the universal gravitational constant G different from acceleration due to gravity g?+
Why does the value of g decrease with altitude?+
What does Newton's law of universal gravitation state, and what is its formula?+
Why do astronauts appear weightless in a spacecraft orbiting Earth?+
How do I prepare effectively for numerical problems in Chapter 9 Gravitation?+
What is the value of the universal gravitational constant G, and what are its units?+
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