Final answer:
The graph that best represents the relationship between the gravitational force exerted by Jupiter on a space probe and the probe's distance from Jupiter is a decreasing curve (hyperbola). This is due to the inverse square law of gravitation, where force decreases as the square of the distance increases.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks which graph best represents the relationship between the gravitational force exerted by Jupiter on a space probe as the probe's distance from Jupiter increases. According to Newton's law of universal gravitation, the force of gravity between two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.
As the space probe gets farther from Jupiter, the gravitational force it experiences from the planet decreases with the square of the distance. Therefore, the graph depicting this relationship would show a decreasing curve that gets closer to zero as the distance increases.
This type of graph is known as a hyperbola or inverse square law graph. When we think about the practical applications of this, we can relate it to how missions like Voyager 2 and the Galileo spacecraft used gravity assists to change their trajectories and gain energy for further space travel. Voyager 2, for instance, took advantage of the alignment of the outer planets to perform a series of flybys, accelerating with each gravity assist to visit multiple planets in succession.