Question

Objects on the surface of Earth experience a large downward force although the universal gravitational constant is very small. Which of the following best explains this phenomenon? Options: Objects on Earth's surface exert a gravitational pull as strong as Earth's, regardless of the gravitational constant. The universal gravitational constant only describes relationships between small objects in outer space. Earth's mass is large enough that its gravity remains strong even when multiplied by a small constant. The universal gravitational constant increases in proportion with the mass of an object.

Answer 1

The significant downward force objects experience on Earth's surface, despite a small gravitational constant, is due to Earth's large mass producing a strong gravitational pull.

Step-by-step explanation:

The phenomenon that objects on the Earth's surface experience a large downward force, despite the universal gravitational constant being very small, can be explained best by the option stated as 'Earth's mass is large enough that its gravity remains strong even when multiplied by a small constant'. This is because the gravitational force an object experiences is directly proportional to the product of the masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. Since Earth's mass is very large, the gravitational force remains significant.

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