Which option correctly expresses the principle of superposition for gravitational forces?
PHYSICS · Single correct · A Level · Physics · Fields and their consequences · Fields and their consequences
Problem
Which option correctly expresses the principle of superposition for gravitational forces?
(a) Because each gravitational force acts along the line joining the masses, they are always collinear and can be added directly as scalars.
(b) The net gravitational force on a body equals the vector sum of the individual gravitational forces exerted by all other bodies.
(c) The net gravitational force on a body is the algebraic sum of the magnitudes of all individual gravitational forces, irrespective of their directions.
(d) When several bodies exert gravitational forces, the strongest individual force dominates and the weaker forces can be neglected while determining the net force.