Question

How will the gravitational force on a piece of the surface of the star (m1) by the mass of the rest of the star (m2) (effectively located at a point at the center of the star) compare between the AGB and main-sequence phases of a particular star, assuming its mass stays the same?A. The surface will feel a stronger gravitational force during the AGB phase because the star is larger.

B. The surface will feel a weaker gravitational force during the AGB phase because it is farther from the center of the star.
C. The surface will feel the same gravitational force during both phases.

Answer 1

Option B

Step-by-step explanation:

Gravitational force is a force that attracts two bodies (with a mass) towards each other. If an object has a higher mass, the gravitational pull will be greater.

According to Newton’s inverse square law:

"The gravitational force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between two bodies."

About this question, the greater the distance between two gravitating bodies, the weaker is the gravitational force between them.