Physics 9702 · AS & A Level

Gravitational field of a point mass

23 practice questions on Gravitational field of a point mass, with worked solutions and instant marking.

State what a line of force means in a gravitational field.

Feb/March 2018

The point $P$ in Fig. 1.1 is a point mass. On Fig. 1.1, sketch lines to show the gravitational field surrounding $P$.

Feb/March 2022

State the meaning of a gravitational field.

May/June 2013

Explain how a satellite can remain in a circular orbit around a planet.

May/June 2017

Define the term gravitational field strength.

May/June 2017

A gravitational field can be shown by lines of gravitational force. State what is meant by a line of gravitational force.

May/June 2018

Define gravitational field strength in words.

May/June 2021

State Newton’s law of gravitation in words.

May/June 2022

State Newton’s law of gravitation in words.

May/June 2022

Define gravitational field strength in words.

Oct/Nov 2010

Define gravitational field strength in words.

Oct/Nov 2010

A lone spherical planet has a diameter of $6.8 \times 10^{6}\,\text{m}$. You may regard its mass of $6.4 \times 10^{23}\,\text{kg}$ as concentrated at a point at the centre of the planet.

Oct/Nov 2014

A single spherical planet has a diameter of $6.8 \times 10^{6}\,\text{m}$. Its mass of $6.4 \times 10^{23}\,\text{kg}$ may be treated as a point mass concentrated at the planet’s centre.

Oct/Nov 2014

On the axes in Fig. 2.1, sketch how the gravitational field strength produced by a point mass changes with distance from the mass.

Oct/Nov 2014

A satellite moves in a circular path of radius $r$ around the Earth, which has mass $M$, as shown in Fig. 1.1. You may take the Earth's mass to be concentrated at its centre.

Oct/Nov 2016

Define gravitational field strength in words.

Oct/Nov 2016

Define what is meant by gravitational field strength.

Oct/Nov 2017

Define what is meant by gravitational field strength.

Oct/Nov 2017

State what gravitational field strength means.

Oct/Nov 2018

State the meaning of a field of force.

Oct/Nov 2020

What is meant by a field of force?

Oct/Nov 2020

Define gravitational field at a point.

Oct/Nov 2025

Fig. 3.1 displays a single isolated point mass with mass $M$. Point P is located a distance $x$ from this mass. In Fig. 3.3, two identical isolated uniform spheres X and Y, each with radius $R$, have centres separated by a distance $L$ as shown. Point P lies on the line joining the centres of X and Y, and its variable displacement from the centre of sphere X is $x$. The gravitational field strength at the surface of each sphere is $g_0$.

Oct/Nov 2025