NEET PhysicsUpdated 19 Oct 2026

Gravitation: NEET PYQs and weightage

Gravitation carries 3.8 of 100 Physics marks in NEET by past-paper share: 29 of the 758 tagged NEET Physics PYQs in the ViJEEta bank (NEET 2013–2026). It ranks 10 of 30 Physics chapters.

Take the 25-question Gravitation test Formula sheet ↓All NEET Physics chapters

3.8/100 Weight in Physics

Exam importance (3/5, by past-paper share)

29 NEET PYQs

344 Practice questions

339 With measured difficulty

How the weight is computed: this chapter's tagged NEET PYQs divided by all tagged NEET Physics PYQs in the bank (29 of 758), times 100, with repeated questions counted once. The bank does not store the year of each NEET question, so none is printed. Computed from the bank at build time. Updated 19 Oct 2026.

Gravitation: formula sheet for NEET

14 formulas, each with when to use it. Copy it onto one page of your notebook: that page is this chapter's handbook.

Newton's law of gravitation
$F = \frac{G m _{1} m _{2}}{r ^{2}} (G = 6.67 \times 1 0^{- 11} N m^{2} / kg^{2})$
Use it when: You need the pull between two point masses or two spheres ( $r$ = centre-to-centre distance).
g at the surface
$g = \frac{GM}{R ^{2}}$
Use it when: You have to link $g$ with a planet's mass and radius, or find $M$ from $g$ and $R$ .
g at height h
$g (h) = \frac{GM}{( R + h ) ^{2}}$
$g (h) \approx g (1 - \frac{2 h}{R}) (when h ≪ R)$
Use it when: A body is above the surface (use the short form only for small $h$ ).
g at depth d
$g (d) = g (1 - \frac{d}{R})$
Use it when: A body is inside a mine or tunnel, with the Earth taken as uniform ( $g = 0$ at the centre).
Force inside a uniform sphere
$F = \frac{GM m r}{R ^{3}} (r measured from the centre)$
Use it when: The mass sits inside the planet, because only the mass within radius $r$ pulls it.
Spherical shell
Outside the shell it acts like a point mass at the centre; inside it the force is $0$ .
Use it when: A question has hollow shells or layered spheres.
Gravitational potential energy
$U = - \frac{G m _{1} m _{2}}{r} (U = 0 at infinity)$
Use it when: You do energy conservation; for many masses, add $U$ over every pair.
Escape speed
$v_{e} = \frac{2 GM}{R} = 2 g R \approx 11.2 km/s (for Earth)$
Use it when: An object must reach infinity from the surface (from height $h$ , use $v_{e} = \frac{2 GM}{R + h}$ ; do not write $2 g (R + h)$ with surface $g$ , since $g$ also changes with height).
Orbital speed
$v = \frac{GM}{R + h}$
$v = g R (near the surface)$
Use it when: A satellite is in a circular orbit (gravity supplies the centripetal force).
Time period of a satellite
$T = \frac{2 π ( R + h ) ^{3/2}}{GM}$
$T^{2} = \frac{4 π ^{2}}{GM} (R + h)^{3}$
Use it when: You have orbit radius and period questions, or you need a planet's mass from its moon.
Satellite near the surface
$T_{0} = 2 π \frac{R}{g} \approx 85 minutes$
Use it when: The orbit is just above the surface ( $h ≪ R$ ).
Energies in a circular orbit of radius r
$K E = \frac{GM m}{2 r}$
$P E = - \frac{GM m}{r}$
$E = - \frac{GM m}{2 r}$
Use it when: You have binding energy questions, or need the energy to free a satellite from orbit ( $= + \frac{GM m}{2 r}$ ).
Kepler's third law
$T^{2} \propto a^{3} (a = semi-major axis)$
Use it when: You compare periods of planets or satellites around the same central body, e.g. $\frac{T _{1}}{T _{2}} = (\frac{a _{1}}{a _{2}})^{3/2}$ .
Kepler's second law
$r_{p} v_{p} = r_{a} v_{a}$
Angular momentum is conserved, so $r_{p} v_{p} = r_{a} v_{a}$ .
Use it when: An elliptical orbit is involved, since the speed is greatest at perihelion and least at aphelion.

Trap

In GM/r², v = √(GM/r) and T² ∝ r³, r is measured from the centre of the planet, so it equals R + h. Putting in just the height h is the most common way students lose marks in this chapter.

How does NEET ask Gravitation?

8 real previous-year questions from this chapter, as printed in the paper, each with its worked solution. Answer the first one here with no sign-in.

Q1PhysicsNEET UG PYQAcceleration Due to Gravity

Try right here · No sign-in

A body weighs 48 N on the surface of the earth. The gravitational force experienced by the body due to the earth at a height equal to one-third the radius of the earth form its surface is:

Answer key (D) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option D

W =

Weight on surface of earth

ω = m g = 48 N

g_{h} =

acceleration due to gravity at height h.

∴ g_{h} = \frac{g}{( 1 + \frac{h}{R} ) ^{2}} = \frac{g}{( 1 + \frac{R}{3 R} ) ^{2}}

= \frac{g}{( 1 + \frac{1}{3} ) ^{2}} = \frac{g}{( \frac{4}{3} ) ^{2}}

= \frac{9 g}{16}

∴ ω^{'} =

New

ω t

= m g h = \frac{m \times 9 g}{16}

= \frac{9}{16} m g = \frac{9}{16} \times 48 = 27 N

Q2PhysicsNEET UG PYQKepler's Laws

Kepler’s third law states that square of period of revolution (T) of a planet around the sun, is proportional to third power to average distance r between sun and planet i.e.

T^{2} = K r^{3}

here K is constant. If the masses of sun and planet are M and m respectively then as per Newton’s law of gravitation force of attraction between them is

F = \frac{GM m}{r ^{2}}

, here G is Gravitational constant The relation between G and K is described as:

K = \frac{1}{G}

G K = 4 π^{2}

GM K = 4 π^{2}

DK = G

Answer key (C) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option C

T = \frac{2 π r}{v} = 2 π \frac{r}{\frac{GM}{r}} = 2 π \frac{r ^{3/2}}{GM}

T^{2} = \frac{4 π ^{2}}{GM} r^{3} = K r^{3} ∴ K = \frac{4 π ^{2}}{GM} ∴ GM K = 4 π^{2}

Q3PhysicsNEET UG PYQEscape Speed

The escape velocity from the Earth’s surface is v. The escape velocity from the surface of another planet having a radius, four times that of Earth and same mass density is:

A3v

B4v

D2v

Answer key (B) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option B

v_{esc a p e} = \frac{2 GM}{R}

= \frac{2 G}{R} \times \frac{4}{3} π R^{3} ρ \times \frac{8 π G}{3} ρ R^{2}

V_{esc a p e} \propto R

[density being same]

V_{esc a p e_{(o t h er pl an e t)}} = V_{esc a p e_{(e a r t h)}}

Q4PhysicsNEET UG PYQAcceleration Due to Gravity

A body weighs 72 N on the surface of the earth. What is the gravitational force on it, at a height equal to half the radius of the earth ?

A30 N

B24 N

C48 N

D32 N

Answer key (D) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option D

g_{e f f} = \frac{g}{( 1 + \frac{h}{R _{e}} ) ^{2}}

;

g_{eff} = \frac{g}{( 1 + \frac{\frac{R _{e}}{2}}{R _{e}} ) ^{2}} = \frac{g}{( 1 + \frac{1}{2} ) ^{2}} = \frac{4 g}{9}

F = \frac{4 \times 72}{9} = 32 N

Q5PhysicsNEET UG PYQUniversal Law of Gravitation

Two astronauts are floating in gravitational free space after having lost contact with their spaceship. The two will

Amove away from each other

Bwill become stationary

Ckeep floating at the same distance between them.

Dmove towards each other

Answer key (D) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option D

Both the astronauts are in the condition of weightlessness. Gravitational force between them pull both towards each other.

Q6PhysicsNEET UG PYQEarth Satellites

A satellite of mass m is orbiting the earth (of radius R) at a height h from its surface. The total energy of the satellite in terms of

g_{o} (acceleration due to gravity at surface of earth)

, the value of acceleration due to gravity at the earth's surface, is

- \frac{m g _{0} R ^{2}}{2 ( R + h )}

\frac{2 m g _{0} R ^{2}}{R + h}

- \frac{2 m g _{0} R ^{2}}{R + h}

\frac{m g _{0} R ^{2}}{2 ( R + h )}

Answer key (A) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option A

Total energy of satellite

= - \frac{G M _{e} m}{2 ( R + h )}

∵ g_{0} = \frac{G M _{e}}{R ^{2}} \Rightarrow M_{e} = \frac{g _{0} R ^{2}}{G}

∴

Energy

= - \frac{m g _{0} R ^{2}}{2 ( R + h )}

Q7PhysicsNEET UG PYQEscape Speed

Two planets

P_{1}

and

P_{2}

with equal mass have radii

R_{1}

and

R_{2}

, respectively, where

R_{2} = \frac{R _{1}}{2}

. The escape speeds of

P_{1}

and

P_{2}

are

v_{1}

and

v_{2}

, respectively. Then

\frac{v _{2}}{v _{1}}

is:

2

\frac{1}{2}

Answer key (B) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option B

V_{e} = 2 g R = \frac{2 GM}{R}

V_{e} \propto \frac{1}{R} [∵ M = constant] \frac{V _{e 2}}{V _{e 1}} = \frac{R _{1}}{R _{2}} = 2

Q8PhysicsNEET UG PYQGravitational Potential Energy

The amount of work done to raise a mass '

m

' from the surface of the Earth to a height equal to the radius of the Earth '

R

' will be

2 m g R

m g R

m g \frac{R}{4}

m g \frac{R}{2}

Answer key (D) & worked solution

Correct answer: Option D

W.D.

= U_{2} - U_{1}

= - \frac{GM m}{R + R} - (\frac{- GM m}{R})

= - \frac{GM m}{2 R} + \frac{GM m}{R}

= \frac{GM m}{2 R} = \frac{m g R}{2}

Which topics in Gravitation carry the most questions?

All 8 topics, by tagged PYQs, then practice questions. Counted from the bank. Updated 19 Oct 2026.

Topic	PYQs	Practice questions
Acceleration Due to Gravity	7	73
Escape Speed	5	64
Kepler's Laws	4	46
Gravitational Field and Potential	4	11
Earth Satellites	3	94
Universal Law of Gravitation	3	31
Gravitational Potential Energy	3	23
Miscellaneous Examples	0	2

Why does Gravitation show "–" until you answer 3 questions?

Unknown is not zero. Until you answer at least 3 graded questions in Gravitation, ViJEEta shows – instead of a zero or a 50% default. Book exercises can raise chapter mastery up to 0.60, adaptive practice up to 0.75, and only a timed chapter test or mock can certify 0.80 and above.

How ViJEEta scores you

What happens when you test Gravitation?

Every chapter test is 25 questions. It starts at moderate difficulty and adapts after each saved answer. If you open a solution before answering, that attempt earns no credit, so your mastery stays honest.

Start the Gravitation test

Chapters either side of Gravitation by weight

Laws of Motion Weight 4.0/100 Alternating Current Weight 3.8/100 Kinetic Theory of Gases Weight 3.6/100 Work, Energy and Power Weight 3.6/100

Gravitation: NEET PYQs and weightage

Gravitation: formula sheet for NEET

Newton's law of gravitation

g at the surface

g at height h

g at depth d

Force inside a uniform sphere

Spherical shell

Gravitational potential energy

Escape speed

Orbital speed

Time period of a satellite

Satellite near the surface

Energies in a circular orbit of radius r

Kepler's third law

Kepler's second law

How does NEET ask Gravitation?

Which topics in Gravitation carry the most questions?

Why does Gravitation show "–" until you answer 3 questions?

What happens when you test Gravitation?

Chapters either side of Gravitation by weight