State and illustrate the principle of superposition of gravitational forces.

Principle of Superposition of Gravitational Forces
Statement:
The principle of superposition states that the gravitational force between any two masses acts independently of the presence of other masses. The resultant gravitational force on a particle due to multiple masses is the vector sum of the individual forces exerted by each mass.

Mathematical Representation:
The net gravitational force Fᵣ on a particle can be expressed as:
Fᵣ = F₁ + F₂ + F₃ + … Fₙ = Fᵢ
Here, F₁, F₂, F₃ , … Fₙ are the individual gravitational forces exerted by masses m₁, m₂, m₃ ,… Fₙ on a particle of mass 𝑚. Each force follows the law of gravitation.