Question

What apparatus did Henry Cavendish use in his experiment to determine the gravitational constant?

(a) 1 bar, 1 small sphere and 1 large sphere

(b) 1 bar, 2 small spheres and 2 large spheres

(c) 2 bar, 1 small sphere and 2 large spheres

(d) 2 bar, 2 small spheres and 1 large sphere

I had been asked this question in a national level competition.

This interesting question is from The Gravitational Constant in chapter Gravitation of Physics – Class 11

Answer 1

Correct answer is (b) 1 bar, 2 small spheres and 2 large spheres

Explanation: Henry Cavendish used 1 bar, 2 small spheres and 2 large spheres in his experiment to determine the gravitational constant. By measuring the torque and angle of deflection produced due to the proximity of large spheres to the small ones, Henry Cavendish was able to determine the universal gravitational constant.