The value of gravitational constant "G" was found by means of:
Correct answer: D. Cavendish apparatus
- A. Newton's laws of motion
- B. Newton's law of gravitation
- C. Kepler's law
- D. Cavendish apparatus
Explanation
The main aim of the Cavendish experiment, conducted by British scientist Henry Cavendish in 1797-1798, was to measure the mass of the Earth. Cavendish's experiment is famous for its determination of the gravitational constant often denoted as ( G ) and the mass of the Earth. In the experiment, Cavendish used a torsion balance, which consisted of a horizontal bar suspended from a thin wire. Two small lead spheres were fixed at each end of the bar, and two larger lead spheres were placed near the smaller ones. The gravitational attraction between the smaller and larger spheres caused a tiny twisting motion of the bar, allowing Cavendish to measure the torque and, consequently, determine the gravitational force between the masses. The Cavendish experiment provided a method for measuring the gravitational constant, which is a fundamental constant in Newton's law of universal gravitation. The gravitational constant relates the force between two masses to the product of the masses and the distance between their centers. By determining ( G ), Cavendish was able to indirectly calculate the mass of the Earth.
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About Gravitation
Newton’s law of universal gravitation relates the force between masses to their masses and separation, while gravitational field strength explains weight and orbital motion. The topic covers satellite velocity and period, escape ideas, weightlessness in free fall, and artificial gravity, which differs from ordinary gravitational attraction.
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