An object is raised from the surface of the Earth to a height of two Earth radii.
Which is correct?
A. The mass of the object decreases, and the force of gravity on the object remains constant.
B. The mass of the object and the force of gravity on the object both remain constant.
C. The mass of the object remains constant, and the force of gravity on the object decrease.
D. Both the mass and the force of gravity on the object decrease.
E. The mass of the object remains constant, and the force of gravity on the object increases.
C. The mass of the object remains constant, and the force of gravity on the object decreases.
The correct answer is C. The mass of the object remains constant, and the force of gravity on the object decreases.
When an object is raised from the surface of the Earth to a height of two Earth radii, the distance between the object and the center of the Earth increases. As the distance between two objects increases, the force of gravity between them decreases. This is because the force of gravity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between two objects.
The mass of an object does not change regardless of its position or height above the Earth's surface. The force of gravity, however, decreases as the object moves further away from the center of the Earth. Therefore, option C is the correct answer.
To answer this question, we need to consider the factors involved in raising an object from the surface of the Earth to a height of two Earth radii.
First, let's analyze the options given:
A. The mass of the object decreases, and the force of gravity on the object remains constant.
B. The mass of the object and the force of gravity on the object both remain constant.
C. The mass of the object remains constant, and the force of gravity on the object decreases.
D. Both the mass and the force of gravity on the object decrease.
E. The mass of the object remains constant, and the force of gravity on the object increases.
To determine the correct option, let's break down the scenario:
When an object is moved away from the surface of the Earth, the distance between the object and the Earth's center increases. As a result, the gravitational force between the object and the Earth decreases because the force of gravity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the two objects.
However, it's important to note that the mass of the object remains constant regardless of its position relative to the Earth. Mass is a fundamental property of an object and does not change unless additional matter is added to or removed from the object.
Given this information, we can conclude that the correct option is C. The mass of the object remains constant, and the force of gravity on the object decreases as it is raised from the surface of the Earth to a height of two Earth radii.