What does a vector field represent?
A vector field is represented by field vectors that indicate direction and magnitude.
How is the field value determined when more than one source object with mass or electric charge is present?
The field value can be determined by vector addition of the field vectors from each source.
How can a known vector field be used to make inferences?
A known vector field can be used to infer the number, relative size, and locations of the sources.
At what scales do gravitational forces dominate, and what is their nature?
Gravitational forces are exerted at all scales and dominate at the largest distances and mass scales; the gravitational force is always attractive.
How is the magnitude of the gravitational force between two spherically symmetric objects determined?
The magnitude of the gravitational force between two objects with masses m1 and m2 is given by G(m1m2/r2) where r is the center-to-center distance between the objects.
What is the gravitational force on Earth commonly called?
On Earth, the gravitational force is called weight.
How is the gravitational field at a point in space measured?
The gravitational field at a point is measured by dividing the gravitational force exerted on a test object at that point by the mass of the test object, and it has the same direction as the force
What is the magnitude of the gravitational field caused by a spherically symmetric object outside the object?
The magnitude of the gravitational field outside a spherically symmetric object is G(m/r2)where m is the mass of the object and r is the distance from the object's center.
What determines the amount of force exerted on an object by a gravitational field?
The gravitational mass of an object determines the amount of force exerted on it by a gravitational field.
How do objects fall near Earth's surface in a vacuum?
Near Earth's surface, all objects fall with the same acceleration in a vacuum, regardless of their inertial mass.
How are inertial mass and gravitational mass related in experiments?
Inertial mass and gravitational mass are experimentally verified to be the same and both satisfy conservation principles.
What determines the acceleration of the center of mass of a system?
The acceleration of the center of mass of a system is directly proportional to the net force exerted on it by all objects interacting with the system and inversely proportional to the mass of the system.
What is the relationship between force and acceleration as vectors?
Force and acceleration are both vectors, with acceleration in the same direction as the net force.
How is the acceleration of the center of mass of a system defined in terms of velocity?
The acceleration of the center of mass of a system is equal to the rate of change of the center of mass velocity with time, and the center of mass velocity is equal to the rate of change of position of the center of mass with time
What are displacement, velocity, and acceleration classified as?
Displacement, velocity, and acceleration are all vector quantities.
How does the choice of reference frame affect physical quantities?
A choice of reference frame determines the direction and magnitude of displacement, velocity, and acceleration.
What are the three fundamental interactions or forces in nature?
The three fundamental forces in nature are the gravitational force, the electroweak force, and the strong force.
How are forces detected?
Forces are detected by their influence on the motion of an object.
What is the relationship between force, magnitude, and direction
Forces have both magnitude and direction.
Can an object exert a force on itself?
No, an object cannot exert a force on itself.
Can forces act on an object at rest?
Yes, even if an object is at rest, there may be forces exerted on it by other objects
In what direction is the acceleration of an object relative to the net force exerted on it?
The acceleration of an object is always in the direction of the net force exerted on it, though its velocity may not necessarily be in the same direction.
What happens when one object exerts a force on a second object?
The second object exerts a force of equal magnitude on the first object but in the opposite direction.