Chapter 9.3 Conceptual Physics

Would a torque on the Moon occur if the Moon were spherical, with both its center of mass and center of gravity in the same location? Why?

No. The torque requires a distance between the center of mass and the center of gravity

Which has the higher tides: spring tides or neap tides? WHy?

Spring tides are higher, because the tides from the Moon and Sun add together

For a planet of uniform density, how would the magnitude of the gravitational field halfway to the center compare with the field at the surface?

g/2 m/s2

Describe how the gravitational forces from the Sun and the Moon compare from one side of Earth to the other `

sun exerts a stronger force on the side of the Earth nearest the Sun, and Moon exerts stronger force on the side nearest the Moon

What would the magnitude of the gravitational field be anywhere inside a hollow, spherical planet?

zero N/kg

what is a gravitational field, and how can its strength be measured?

It is a force field on any body with mass. Its strength is the force per unit mass on a test mass

Newton viewed the curving of the path of a planet as being caused by a force actign on the planet. How did Einstein view the curved path of a planet?

Moving in a curved 4-dimensional spacetime

Do tides depend more on the strength of gravitational pul or on the difference in strengths? Explain

Tides depend only on the difference

Do tides occur in the molten interior of Earth for the same reason that tides occur in the oceans

Yes, due to the difference in gravitational force across the core

What is the magnitude of the gravitational field at Earth's center?

Zero N/kg

Why are all tides greatest at the time of a full Moon or new Moon?

at full Moon and new Moon, the tides from the Moon and the Sun add because they are in line with Earth