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Leaving Cert Physics: Gravity

How often Gravity comes up on the Physics papers, every year it was asked, and questions to try.

HL Asked on 10 of the last 10 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2026. banker

OL Asked on 7 of the last 10 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2026. most years

June 2027 is the first exam on the new Physics course. These come from the 2016–2026 papers, so read them as a guide.

Gravity, Higher Level(8 marks)

Quick ones on Gravity.

(a)Unit of the universal gravitational constant G?
  1. N kg⁻¹
  2. N m² kg⁻²
  3. m s⁻²
(b)Two masses are moved twice as far apart. The gravitational force between them becomes?
  1. Four times its original value
  2. Half of its original value
  3. One quarter of its original value
(c)Value of the acceleration due to gravity at the Earth's surface?
  1. 9.8 m s⁻²
  2. 6.7 × 10⁻¹¹ m s⁻²
  3. 9.8 m s⁻¹
Show the answers

(a) N m² kg⁻²

(b) One quarter of its original value

(c) 9.8 m s⁻²

Your turn: Higher Level questions on Gravity.

Higher Level

Asked on 10 of the last 10 Higher Level papers, most recently in 2026. banker

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2026Q2
2025Q7
2024Q6(b)
2023Q1, Q6(d)
2022Q13
2021Q1, Q6(d)
2019Q1, Q6
2018Q11
2017Q1, Q11
2016Q6

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Gravity questions

Gravity, 3 marks

State Newton's law of universal gravitation.

  1. The force between two point masses is proportional to the sum of the masses and inversely proportional to the distance between them
  2. The force between two point masses is inversely proportional to the product of the masses and proportional to the square of the distance between them
  3. The force between two point masses is proportional to the product of the masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them
Show the answer

The force between two point masses is proportional to the product of the masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them

F = Gm₁m₂/d². Double the separation and the force falls to a quarter, which is what an inverse square law means.

Gravity, 3 marks

At a height of one Earth radius above the surface, what is g? (g at the surface = 9.8 N kg⁻¹)

  1. 9.8 N kg⁻¹
  2. 2.45 N kg⁻¹
  3. 4.9 N kg⁻¹
Show the answer

2.45 N kg⁻¹

The distance from the Earth's centre doubles. g = GM/d² is an inverse square law, so g falls to 9.8 ÷ 4 = 2.45 N kg⁻¹, not half.

Gravity, 2 marks

Formula for the periodic time of a simple pendulum?

  1. T = 2π√(l/g)
  2. T = 2π√(g/l)
  3. T = 2π√(lg)
Show the answer

T = 2π√(l/g)

T depends only on the length l and on g. It does not depend on the mass of the bob or on the amplitude, provided the swing is small.

Ordinary Level

Asked on 7 of the last 10 Ordinary Level papers, most recently in 2026. most years

Every paper, year by year

YearWhere it came up
2026Q1, Q7
2025Not asked
2024Q13
2023Not asked
2022Q13
2021Q1, Q14(a)
2019Q6
2018Not asked
2017Q1
2016Q6

Links open the State Examinations Commission’s paper for that year.

More Gravity questions

Gravity, 3 marks

Weight of a 10 kg mass on the Moon, where g = 1.6 m s⁻²?

  1. 98 N
  2. 6.25 N
  3. 16 N
Show the answer

16 N

W = mg = 10 × 1.6 = 16 N. 98 N is its weight on Earth (g = 9.8); 6.25 comes from dividing by g.

Gravity, 2 marks

Two bodies move further apart. The gravitational force between them?

  1. Stays the same
  2. Decreases
  3. Increases
Show the answer

Decreases

Gravity gets weaker with distance. By Newton's law of gravitation the force depends on 1/d², so it falls quickly as d grows.

Gravity, 2 marks

A heavy ball and a light ball are dropped together in a vacuum. Which lands first?

  1. They land together
  2. The heavy ball
  3. The light ball
Show the answer

They land together

With no air resistance every body falls with the same acceleration, g = 9.8 m s⁻², whatever its mass.

Other Physics topics

All of Leaving Cert Physics