Question

newtons law of universal gravitation states that all objects in the universe are gravitationally attracted to each other. the gravitational force between two celestial objects depends on two factors: distance and mass.

• the greater the distance between two objects, the weaker the gravitational force between them.
• the greater the masses of the two objects, the stronger the gravitational force between them.

each model below shows two stars of varying masses separated by the same distance. select the model that shows the stars with the strongest gravitational force between them.

Explanation:

Step1: Analyze the first model

The product of the masses is \(1M_{\circ}\times2M_{\circ} = 2M_{\circ}^2\).

Step2: Analyze the second model

The product of the masses is \(1M_{\circ}\times0.5M_{\circ}=0.5M_{\circ}^2\).

Step3: Analyze the third model

The product of the masses is \(1M_{\circ}\times1M_{\circ}=1M_{\circ}^2\).

Since the distance between the stars is the same for all models, and the gravitational force is directly proportional to the product of the masses (when distance is constant), the model with the largest product of masses will have the strongest gravitational force.

Answer:

The first model (with stars of masses \(1M_{\circ}\) and \(2M_{\circ}\)) shows the stars with the strongest gravitational force between them.