Are these practice questions for Gravitation based on the CBSE pattern?

Yes. Every practice question is modeled on the CBSE Class 11 - Science Physics exam pattern — including MCQs, assertion-reason questions, and short-answer formats that frequently appear in CBSE papers.

Are the practice questions for Gravitation free?

Yes. Every chapter includes free practice questions for Class 11 - Science students to get you started.

What types of questions are included?

The practice set for Gravitation mainly includes MCQs and CBSE-style short-answer questions, with instant feedback on each answer. For full-length textbook practice, use the NCERT Solutions page.

Are the practice questions suitable for board exam preparation?

Yes. The questions test the same concepts and depth that CBSE asks in board exams. After finishing, also solve the NCERT and NCERT Exemplar exercises for Gravitation for full coverage.

How many practice questions are there for Gravitation?

The number scales with chapter length and concept density. Each chapter typically has 15-50 practice questions across MCQ and short-answer formats.

Gravitation Class 11 Physics Practice Questions with Answers

easy

Evaluate whether the gravitational potential energy of a system of two masses can be positive. Justify your answer based on the conventional choice of zero potential energy at infinity.

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easy

Define escape speed and recall the formula for the escape speed from the surface of the Earth in terms of its mass

M_E

and radius

R_E

.

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easy

Propose a method to 'weigh' a star that has a planet orbiting it, without landing on either body.

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easy

Propose a reason why the Moon has no significant atmosphere, while Earth does, based on the concept of escape speed.

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easy

Examine the formula for escape speed,

v_e = \sqrt{2gR_E}

. Does the escape speed of an object depend on its mass? Justify your answer.

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easy

Analyze Kepler's second law (law of areas) to determine where a planet's speed is maximum and minimum in its elliptical orbit around the Sun.

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easy

Define the universal gravitational constant, G, and recall its SI unit and value.

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easy

State Newton's universal law of gravitation in words.

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medium

List the three laws of planetary motion as stated by Johannes Kepler.

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medium

Calculate the escape speed from the surface of the Moon. (Given: Mass of Moon

M_M = 7.35 \times 10^{22}

kg, Radius of Moon

R_M = 1.74 \times 10^6

m,

G = 6.67 \times 10^{-11} \text{ N m}^2/\text{kg}^2

).

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medium

Identify the two physical quantities that are conserved for a planet revolving around the Sun in an elliptical orbit.

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medium

Name the scientist who first determined the value of G experimentally and identify the key principle of the apparatus he used.

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medium

Recall the formula for the orbital period

T

of a planet in a circular orbit of radius

R

around the Sun of mass

M_s

.

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medium

A space agency plans to launch a satellite into a geostationary orbit. Evaluate the challenges in achieving this specific orbit compared to a much lower Earth orbit (e.g.,

400

km altitude). Your evaluation should consider orbital speed, energy requirements, and trajectory precision.

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medium

Recall the value of acceleration due to gravity

g

on the surface of the Earth and calculate its value at a height of

64

km. Use the approximate formula and assume the radius of Earth

R_E = 6400

km.

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medium

Analyze the statement: 'An astronaut in an orbiting space station experiences weightlessness.' Is this because the gravitational force of the Earth is zero at that altitude? Explain your reasoning.

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medium

Two point masses,

m_1 = 4

kg and

m_2 = 9

kg, are separated by a distance of

10

m. Calculate the position of a third mass

m = 1

kg on the line joining them where the net gravitational force on it is zero.

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medium

Evaluate the statement: 'If the Earth stopped rotating, the value of acceleration due to gravity,

g

, would be slightly greater at the equator.' Justify your answer.

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medium

Summarize the findings regarding the gravitational force exerted by a uniform hollow spherical shell on a point mass for two cases: (a) when the point mass is located outside the shell, and (b) when it is located inside the shell.

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medium

Solve for the gravitational potential energy of a system of three equal masses, each of mass

m = 2

kg, placed at the vertices of an equilateral triangle with side length

a = 1

m. (Given:

G = 6.67 \times 10^{-11} \text{ N m}^2/\text{kg}^2

).

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medium

Explain why the gravitational potential energy of a two-particle system is conventionally considered to be negative.

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medium

A projectile is launched from Earth's surface with an initial speed

v_i

equal to half its escape speed. Formulate an equation, in terms of

G

,

M_E

, and

R_E

, to calculate the maximum height

h

it will reach above the surface. Justify the steps in setting up the energy conservation equation.

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medium

Analyze the total energy of a satellite in a circular orbit. Why is the total energy always negative for a bound orbit?

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medium

Critique Newton's shell theorem, which states that a uniform spherical shell of matter attracts a particle outside it as if all the shell's mass were concentrated at its center. Why is this a non-trivial result, and what mathematical principle allows for this simplification?

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medium

Design a mission to move a satellite of mass

m=500

kg from a circular orbit of radius

r_1 = 2R_E

to a circular orbit of radius

r_2 = 3R_E

. Formulate the steps to calculate the total energy required for this transfer and calculate its value. Justify why energy must be added. (Use

M_E = 6 \times 10^{24}

kg,

R_E = 6.4 \times 10^6

m,

G = 6.67 \times 10^{-11} \text{ N m}^2/\text{kg}^2

)

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medium

Compare and contrast the change in acceleration due to gravity when moving from the Earth's surface upwards by a distance

h

and downwards by the same distance

h

. Which change is greater for a small value of

h

? Demonstrate this using the relevant approximate formulas.

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medium

Propose why gravitational shielding is considered impossible, unlike electrical shielding inside a hollow conductor.

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medium

If the Earth were to shrink to half its present radius without any change in its mass, calculate the new value of acceleration due to gravity on its surface. (Assume

g = 9.8 \text{ m/s}^2

on the current surface).

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medium

A satellite is orbiting the Earth in a circular orbit at an altitude of

600

km above the surface. Calculate its orbital speed. (Given: Mass of Earth

M_E = 6 \times 10^{24}

kg, Radius of Earth

R_E = 6400

km,

G = 6.67 \times 10^{-11} \text{ N m}^2/\text{kg}^2

).

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medium

Justify Kepler's second law (law of areas) as a direct consequence of the conservation of angular momentum. Prove that the rate of change of area swept by the radius vector is constant.

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medium

A body weighs

90

N on the surface of the Earth. Solve for the gravitational force on it at a height equal to twice the radius of the Earth from the surface.

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medium

Describe how the acceleration due to gravity,

g

, varies with depth

d

below the Earth's surface, assuming uniform density. Recall the formula for

g

at a depth

d

.

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medium

A satellite of mass

m = 500

kg is in a circular orbit at a height

h = R_E

above the Earth's surface. Calculate its (a) kinetic energy, (b) potential energy, and (c) total energy in this orbit. (Given: Mass of Earth

M_E = 6 \times 10^{24}

kg, Radius of Earth

R_E = 6.4 \times 10^6

m,

G = 6.67 \times 10^{-11} \text{ N m}^2/\text{kg}^2

).

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medium

Summarize the difference between the geocentric and heliocentric models of the planetary system. Name one key proponent for each model.

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medium

Critique the statement: 'An astronaut in an orbiting satellite is weightless because they are far from Earth's gravity.' Justify your reasoning using the concept of free fall.

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hard

Explain how the formula for acceleration due to gravity at a height

h

,

g(h) = \frac{GM_E}{(R_E+h)^2}

, is simplified for cases where the height

h

is much smaller than the Earth's radius

R_E

.

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hard

Formulate a proof to show that the escape speed (

v_e

) from a planet's surface is

\sqrt{2}

times the orbital speed (

v_o

) of a satellite in a circular orbit just above the surface. Justify each step and explain the physical significance.

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hard

Formulate an expression for the total energy of a binary star system where two stars of equal mass

M

orbit their common center of mass in a circular path of radius

R

from the center.

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hard

Demonstrate that Kepler's second law of planetary motion (the law of areas) is a direct consequence of the conservation of angular momentum for a central force like gravitation. Use the expression for the area swept by the radius vector

\Delta \mathbf{A} = \frac{1}{2}(\mathbf{r} \times \mathbf{v} \Delta t)

to derive the relationship between the rate of change of area and angular momentum.

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hard

Explain why an astronaut in an orbiting space station feels weightless.

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hard

Design an experiment to determine the mass of an unknown planet by observing one of its moons. Justify the formulas and measurements required, assuming the moon has a nearly circular orbit.

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hard

Apply Kepler's third law of periods to solve the following. An artificial satellite has an orbital period of

T_1 = 90

minutes. If another satellite has a period

T_2 = 8 T_1

, calculate the ratio of their orbital radii

(r_2/r_1)

. Also, calculate the orbital radius

r_1

of the first satellite. (Given:

M_E = 6 \times 10^{24}

kg,

G = 6.67 \times 10^{-11} \text{ N m}^2/\text{kg}^2

).

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hard

Explain the relationship between the total energy, kinetic energy, and potential energy of a satellite in a circular orbit around the Earth. Recall the formulas for each.

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hard

Create a hypothetical scenario where the gravitational force follows an inverse cube law (

F \propto 1/r^3

) instead of an inverse square law. Predict and justify how this would alter Kepler's laws of planetary motion, specifically the law of periods and the stability of orbits.

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hard

Compare the value of acceleration due to gravity at a height

h

and a depth

d

below the Earth's surface, where

h=d

. Then, solve for the depth

d

at which the acceleration due to gravity is exactly half of its value on the surface. (Radius of Earth

R_E = 6400

km)

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GravitationClass 11 Physics Practice Questions