Sure! Let's dive into understanding what factors affect gravity.
Gravity is the force by which a planet or other body draws objects toward its center. Understanding this, let's explore the options given:
1. Force only: This option suggests that only "force" itself affects gravity. This is not accurate as force is actually a result of gravity acting on masses.
2. Force and distance: While distance does play a role in the gravitational force between two objects, "force" alone as a component is not correct in explaining what affects gravity.
3. Force and mass: Similarly, while mass is indeed a crucial factor, the term "force" in isolation is not adequate to describe what affects gravity.
4. Mass and distance: This is the correct option. According to Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation, the gravitational force between two objects depends on their masses and the distance between their centers. The relationship can be expressed by the formula:
[tex]\[ F = G \frac{m_1 \cdot m_2}{r^2} \][/tex]
where:
- [tex]\( F \)[/tex] is the gravitational force,
- [tex]\( G \)[/tex] is the gravitational constant,
- [tex]\( m_1 \)[/tex] and [tex]\( m_2 \)[/tex] are the masses of the two objects,
- [tex]\( r \)[/tex] is the distance between the centers of the two masses.
Thus, the factors that affect gravity are mass and distance.
Therefore, the correct answer is:
Mass and distance
