Question

Earth II is a planet in a distant solar system, which is Earth-like but a little smaller than our Earth. In the distant future, Earth II has been settled by bold travelers from our home planet. Very far from Earth II (effectively at r), the gravitational field is negligible.

A) True
B) False

Answer 1

The statement that the gravitational field is negligible very far from Earth II is true, in accordance with the principles of Newton's law of universal gravitation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement regarding a negligible gravitational field very far from Earth II (at distance r) is True. In physics, as the distance from a mass increases, the strength of the gravitational field it produces decreases. Eventually, at a sufficiently large distance, the gravitational field from a planet like Earth II would be considered negligible. This concept is in line with Newton's law of universal gravitation, which states that the gravitational force between two masses is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.

When we look at other planetary systems discovered by astronomers, such as the K-62 system or the countless exoplanets identified, we understand that the presence of a gravitational field around these objects also adheres to the same physical laws. On Earth II, astronauts from our home planet would feel a weaker gravitational pull if Earth II is indeed smaller than Earth. However, very far from Earth II, just as with our own Earth, the influence of its gravity would be negligible or effectively zero.