Which of the following confirms that gravitational mass and inertial mass are equal?
1.Free-fall accleration is the same throughout the universe
2.Free fall acceleration is the same at all points where the gravitational field stength is the same
3.Newton's second llaw is valid throughout the universe
4.An objects's weight can change with location but the object's mass remains constant.
Thank you for any help-I'm really confused on this question.
Hi annie, Option 2 is correct.please message me if you are satisfied with the answer.
The option that confirms that gravitational mass and inertial mass are equal is:
3. Newton's second law is valid throughout the universe.
Newton's second law states that the force acting on an object is equal to the product of its mass and acceleration (F = ma). The fact that this law applies universally implies that gravitational mass (the mass that determines the strength of the gravitational force on an object) is equal to inertial mass (the mass that determines an object's resistance to acceleration).
To determine which option confirms that gravitational mass and inertial mass are equal, let's analyze each statement:
1. Free-fall acceleration is the same throughout the universe: This statement does not directly confirm that gravitational mass and inertial mass are equal. The fact that free-fall acceleration is the same everywhere could be explained by the equivalence principle, which states that gravitational forces are indistinguishable from inertial forces, not necessarily that the masses are equal.
2. Free-fall acceleration is the same at all points where the gravitational field strength is the same: This statement supports the idea of gravitational mass and inertial mass being equal. The equivalence principle implies that objects of different masses will experience the same acceleration in a gravitational field, as long as they are at the same point where the gravitational field strength is the same.
3. Newton's second law is valid throughout the universe: This statement does not directly confirm the equality of gravitational mass and inertial mass. Newton's second law only states that the force acting on an object is equal to the product of its mass and acceleration; it does not specifically address whether gravitational mass and inertial mass are equal.
4. An object's weight can change with location, but the object's mass remains constant: This statement is not directly related to the equality of gravitational mass and inertial mass. It is true that weight depends on the gravitational field strength, which can vary with location, while an object's mass remains constant. However, this statement does not provide direct evidence of the equality of gravitational mass and inertial mass.
After analyzing the options, option 2, "Free-fall acceleration is the same at all points where the gravitational field strength is the same," is the one that confirms that gravitational mass and inertial mass are equal, through the equivalence principle.