What does Gravitation cover for NEET Physics?

12 lessons: Acceleration Due to Gravity, Escape Velocity, g Variation Altitude, g Variation Depth, Gravitational Potential, Gravitational Potential Energy, Kepler's Laws, Motion of Satellite, Orbital Velocity, Satellite Energy, Satellite Time Period and Universal Law Gravitation.

How often has Gravitation come up in NEET past papers?

Our set of verified past papers has 10 questions from this unit, from NEET 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. Each is answered against the official NTA key.

Is the Gravitation material free?

Yes. All 12 lessons and 96 practice questions are free, with no login needed.

Gravitation

12 lessons

Topic index in NCERT order

12 of 12 lessons by the NCERT chapter they teach from, in book order. The page is the first printed page of your NCERT book the lesson cites; PYQs are the past NEET questions on that topic.

Class 11 Physics, Chapter 7

Kepler's Lawsp. 1292 PYQs
Universal Law Gravitationp. 1300 PYQs
Acceleration Due to Gravityp. 1332 PYQs
g Variation Altitudep. 1331 PYQ
g Variation Depthp. 1340 PYQs
Gravitational Potentialp. 1351 PYQ
Gravitational Potential Energyp. 1350 PYQs
Escape Velocityp. 1362 PYQs
Motion of Satellitep. 1370 PYQs
Orbital Velocityp. 1370 PYQs
Satellite Time Periodp. 1391 PYQ
Satellite Energyp. 1401 PYQ

Acceleration Due to Gravity

8 MCQs2 PYQs4 revision cardsWorked example

Easy Recall (3)Direct Application (3)Calculation (2)

Escape Velocity

8 MCQs2 PYQs3 revision cardsWorked example

Easy Recall (3)Direct Application (3)Concept Trap (1)Calculation (1)

g Variation Altitude

8 MCQs1 PYQs3 revision cardsWorked example

Easy Recall (3)Direct Application (3)Calculation (2)

g Variation Depth

8 MCQs2 revision cardsWorked example

Easy Recall (3)Direct Application (3)Calculation (2)

Gravitational Potential

8 MCQs1 PYQs4 revision cardsWorked example

Easy Recall (3)Direct Application (3)Concept Trap (1)Calculation (1)

Gravitational Potential Energy

8 MCQs6 revision cardsWorked example

Easy Recall (3)Direct Application (3)Concept Trap (1)Calculation (1)

Kepler's Laws

8 MCQs2 PYQs1 revision cardWorked example

Easy Recall (3)Direct Application (3)Calculation (2)

Motion of Satellite

8 MCQs4 revision cardsWorked example

Easy Recall (3)Direct Application (3)Concept Trap (1)Calculation (1)

Orbital Velocity

8 MCQs9 revision cardsWorked example

Easy Recall (3)Direct Application (3)Calculation (2)

Satellite Energy

8 MCQs1 PYQs10 revision cardsWorked example

Easy Recall (3)Direct Application (3)Calculation (2)

Satellite Time Period

8 MCQs1 PYQs5 revision cardsWorked example

Easy Recall (3)Direct Application (3)Calculation (2)

Universal Law Gravitation

8 MCQs3 revision cardsWorked example

Easy Recall (3)Direct Application (3)Concept Trap (1)Calculation (1)

Past-paper questions from this unit

10 questions from NEET 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026. Answers verified against NTA official keys.

By year in our set: 2021 (1) · 2022 (1) · 2023 (2) · 2024 (2) · 2025 (2) · 2026 (2)

Lesson: Escape Velocity

NEET 2026

Two planets P₁ and P₂ with equal mass have radii R₁ and R₂, respectively, where R₂ = R₁/2. The escape speeds of P₁ and P₂ are v₁ and v₂, respectively. Then v₂/v₁ is :

11/√2

3√2

NTA Answer: Option 3(final)

Report an error · Every fix is public: corrections log

Lesson: Kepler's Laws

NEET 2026

In a solar system, the time-period of revolution of a planet tracing a circular orbit of radius R is proportional to :

1R^(1/2)

2R^(3/2)

3R²

4R³

NTA Answer: Option 2(final)

Report an error · Every fix is public: corrections log

Lesson: Kepler's Laws

NEET 2025

The radius of Martian orbit around the Sun is about 4 times the radius of the orbit of Mercury. The Martian year is 687 Earth days. Then which of the following is the length of 1 year on Mercury?

1124 earth days

288 earth days

3225 earth days

4172 earth days

NTA Answer: Option 2(final)

Report an error · Every fix is public: corrections log

Lesson: g Variation Altitude

NEET 2025

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 from its surface is :

136 N

216 N

327 N

432 N

NTA Answer: Option 3(final)

Report an error · Every fix is public: corrections log

Lesson: Acceleration Due to Gravity

NEET 2024Revised key

1 The mass of a planet is th that of the earth and its diameter is half that of the earth. The acceleration due 10 to gravity on that planet is:

119.6 m s⁻²

29.8 m s⁻²

34.9 m s⁻²

43.92 m s⁻²

NTA Answer: Option 4(revised_final)

Report an error · Every fix is public: corrections log

Lesson: Satellite Energy

NEET 2024Revised key

The minimum energy required to launch a satellite of mass m from the surface of earth of mass M and radius R in a circular orbit at an altitude of 2R from the surface of the earth is: 5GmM

16R 2GmM

23R GmM

32R GmM

43R

NTA Answer: Option 1(revised_final)

Report an error · Every fix is public: corrections log

Lesson: Gravitational Potential

NEET 2023

Two bodies of mass m and 9m are placed at a distance R. The gravitational potential on the line joining the bodies where the gravitational field equals zero, will be (G = gravitational constant)

1−12Gm/R

2−16Gm/R

3−20Gm/R

4−8Gm/R

NTA Answer: Option 2(final)

Report an error · Every fix is public: corrections log

Lesson: Satellite Time Period

NEET 2023

A satellite is orbiting just above the surface of the earth with period T. If d is the density of the earth and G is the universal constant of gravitation, the quantity 3π/(Gd) represents

1T²

2T³

3√T

NTA Answer: Option 1(final)

Report an error · Every fix is public: corrections log

Lesson: Acceleration Due to Gravity

NEET 2022

A body of mass 60 g experiences a gravitational force of 3.0 N, when placed at a particular point. The magnitude of the gravitational field intensity at that point is

1180 N/kg

20.05 N/kg

350 N/kg

420 N/kg

NTA Answer: Option 3(final)

Report an error · Every fix is public: corrections log

Lesson: Escape Velocity

NEET 2021

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

14v

32v

43v

NTA Answer: Option 1(final)

Report an error · Every fix is public: corrections log

Exam traps and common mistakes in this unit

Lesson: g Variation Altitude

Trap

g at altitude: linear vs inverse-square

Category: Similar Terms

Student treats g(h) as linear in h. Actual: g(R/(R+h))² (inverse-square).

When it triggers

Question asks for g at significant altitude (e.g. R/2 above surface).

How to avoid

Use g_h = g (R/(R+h))². Linear approximation g(1 - 2h/R) only valid for h << R.

Lesson: Kepler's Laws

Trap

Kepler's third law: linear vs 3/2 power

Category: Similar Terms

Student treats T proportional to a (linear) instead of a^(3/2).

When it triggers

Question gives change in semi-major axis and asks for new period.

How to avoid

T² ∝ a³, so T ∝ a^(3/2). Doubling a multiplies T by 2^(3/2) ≈ 2.83.

Lesson: g Variation Altitude

Mistake

Treats g(h) as linear in h for significant heights.

Root cause: formula misuse

Correction

Use g_h = g(R/(R+h))² (inverse-square). Linear approximation g(1-2h/R) is only valid for h << R. For h = R/2, the exact formula gives g_h = (2/3)² g = 4g/9, not g(1-1) = 0.

Lesson: Kepler's Laws

Mistake

Treats T proportional to a (linear) instead of a^(3/2) in Kepler's third law.

Root cause: formula misuse

Correction

T² ∝ a³, so T ∝ a^(3/2). Doubling a multiplies T by 2^(3/2) ≈ 2.83. Quadrupling a → 8× T.

Formulas in this unit

Lesson: Acceleration Due to Gravity

Newton's law of gravitation

F = \frac{G m _{1} m _{2}}{r ^{2}}

Attractive force between any two masses. Inverse-square central force.

Symbol	Quantity	SI Unit
F	force	N
G	grav constant = 6.674e-11	N*m^2/kg^2
m1, m2	masses	kg
r	centre-to-centre distance	m

Valid when

Point masses or spherically symmetric distributions
r > sum of body radii (else use shell theorem)

Lesson: Escape Velocity

Escape velocity from a body's surface

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

Minimum speed for an object to escape gravity to infinity from radius R. Earth: ~11.2 km/s.

Symbol	Quantity	SI Unit
v_e	escape velocity	m/s
M	planet mass	kg
R	planet radius	m
g	surface gravity	m/s^2

Valid when

Launched from surface
No air drag
Body treated as point/sphere

Lesson: g Variation Altitude

g variation with altitude

g_{h} = g (\frac{R}{R + h})^{2} \approx g (1 - 2 h / R)

Gravitational acceleration decreases with altitude above Earth's surface.

Symbol	Quantity	SI Unit
g_h	g at height h	m/s^2
g	surface g	m/s^2
R	Earth radius	m
h	altitude	m

Valid when

Static observer at altitude
Earth treated as uniform sphere

Lesson: g Variation Depth

g variation with depth

g_{d} = g (1 - d / R)

Inside Earth (uniform density), g decreases linearly with depth, vanishing at centre.

Symbol	Quantity	SI Unit
g_d	g at depth	m/s^2
g	surface g	m/s^2
R	Earth radius	m
d	depth	m

Valid when

Earth treated as uniform density sphere

Lesson: Gravitational Potential

Gravitational potential energy (point masses)

U = - \frac{GM m}{r}

PE of two-body system; negative because gravity is attractive (work to separate them is positive).

Symbol	Quantity	SI Unit
U	grav PE	J
M, m	two masses	kg
r	separation	m

Valid when

Reference U=0 at r=infinity
Point or spherical masses

Lesson: Kepler's Laws

Kepler's third law

T^{2} = \frac{4 π ^{2}}{GM} a^{3}

Square of orbital period proportional to cube of semi-major axis. Holds for elliptic orbits about a central mass.

Symbol	Quantity	SI Unit
T	orbital period	s
a	semi-major axis	m
M	central mass	kg

Valid when

Two-body system with central mass M >> orbiting mass
Bound orbit

Lesson: Motion of Satellite

Orbital velocity for circular orbit

v = \frac{GM}{R + h}

Speed of circular orbit at altitude h above body of mass M, radius R.

Symbol	Quantity	SI Unit
v	orbital speed	m/s
M	central mass	kg
R+h	orbit radius	m

Valid when

Circular orbit
M >> orbiting mass

Lesson: Satellite Energy

Satellite total mechanical energy

E = - \frac{GM m}{2 ( R + h )}

Total energy = KE + PE = -KE (virial). Always negative for bound orbit; E -> 0 at infinity.

Symbol	Quantity	SI Unit
E	total energy	J
M, m	central mass and satellite mass	kg
R+h	orbit radius	m

Valid when

Circular orbit
Bound (E < 0)

NEET question patterns in this unit

Lesson: Escape Velocity

Compare escape velocities for planets with different M, R. v_e ∝ sqrt(M/R). Common shape: 'planet has 4× radius and 2× density of Earth — find v_e'.

Direct ApplicationEasy

Common distractors

forgets density not mass

Confuses planet mass with density given radius scaling

Lesson: g Variation Altitude

Body weighs W on surface; find weight at height h above surface. Use g_h = g(R/(R+h))^2.

Direct ApplicationEasy

Common distractors

uses linear decrease with h

Treats g as linear in h instead of inverse-square

Lesson: Kepler's Laws

Given period T and semi-major axis a of one planet, find for another with different a. T^2 ∝ a^3.

Direct ApplicationEasy

Common distractors

uses linear relation

Treats T proportional to a not a^(3/2)

Lesson: Orbital Velocity

Energy required to launch satellite to altitude. Compute change in total mechanical energy.

Multi StepMedium

Common distractors

forgets orbital KE component

Computes only PE change, ignoring orbital KE

Questions about this unit

What does Gravitation cover for NEET Physics?: 12 lessons: Acceleration Due to Gravity, Escape Velocity, g Variation Altitude, g Variation Depth, Gravitational Potential, Gravitational Potential Energy, Kepler's Laws, Motion of Satellite, Orbital Velocity, Satellite Energy, Satellite Time Period and Universal Law Gravitation.
How often has Gravitation come up in NEET past papers?: Our set of verified past papers has 10 questions from this unit, from NEET 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 and 2026. Each is answered against the official NTA key.
Is the Gravitation material free?: Yes. All 12 lessons and 96 practice questions are free, with no login needed.