What is the effect of increased mass on gravitational force?

The gravitational force between two objects is determined by their masses and the distance between them, as described by Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation. According to this law, the force of gravity is directly proportional to the product of the two masses. This means that if one or both of the masses increase, the gravitational force between them also increases.

In mathematical terms, this relationship is expressed in the formula:

F = G * (m1 * m2) / r^2,

where F is the gravitational force, G is the gravitational constant, m1 and m2 are the masses of the two objects, and r is the distance between the centers of the two objects. As the mass (m1 or m2) increases, the product m1 * m2 increases, resulting in a larger gravitational force F.

Therefore, increasing the mass of an object increases the gravitational force it exerts on another object, confirming that the correct answer reflects this fundamental principle of gravitation.