If the speed of rotation of Earth about its axis increases, then the weight of the body at the equator will:
Correct answer: B. Decrease
- A. Increase
- B. Decrease
- C. Remain unchanged
- D. Sometimes decrease and sometimes increase
Explanation
The following is the solution: Decrease: This is the correct answer. As mentioned above, an increase in the speed of Earth's rotation would lead to a decrease in the effective gravitational force experienced by an object at the equator. This is because the centrifugal force (outward force due to rotation) counteracts some of the gravitational force, resulting in a reduced weight for objects at the equator. Due to rotation, the effective value of g is g'= g - ω2Rcos2λ. Now, ω increases so g′ will decrease & so weight = mg′ will reduce.
Last updated
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.
Practise Gravitation
265 free Gravitation MCQs from Physics, each with the correct answer and an explanation. Unlimited attempts, no account needed.
Exams that ask Physics questions like this
Physics is on 9 papers prepared for on TestUstad, and all of them draw the same bank, so this question is worth knowing for every one of them.
Related questions
A 2 kg body falls from infinity to the surface of earth. What will be the kinetic energy of the body on reaching the surface of Earth (Assume escape velocity to be 104 ms-1)?
A bird resting on the floor of an air-tight box which is being carried by a boy, starts flying. The boy will feel that the box is now:
A body in satellite orbiting round the earth is weightless because:
A body is taken from the earth's surface to the moon, the weight of the body will be zero at a point where force of attraction due to:
A body of 2kg is suspended from the ceiling of an elevator moving up with an acceleration 'g' its apparent weight in the elevator will be: