Discuss qualitative idea for the gravitational force of attraction between a hollow spherical shell or solid sphere of uniform density and a point mass situated outside the shell / sphere.

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1 Answers

  • Gravitational force caused by different regions of shell can be resolved into components along the line joining the point mass to the centre and along a direction perpendicular to this line.
  • The components perpendicular to this line cancel each other and the resultant force remains along the line joining the point to the centre.
  • Mathematical calculations show that, this resultant force on this point equals the force that would get exerted by the shell whose entire mass is situated at its centre.

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