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atomant
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Which, if either, is greater: the gravitational force of the sun on the Earth, or the Earth on the sun? How should I be looking at this question i.e in terms of the radius of each object through the equation F=GM1M2/r^2 ?
They're the same, i.e. wherever there is an action there is an equal and opposite reaction. You should look at the symmetry of F=GM1M2/r^2.atomant said:Which, if either, is greater: the gravitational force of the sun on the Earth, or the Earth on the sun? How should I be looking at this question i.e in terms of the radius of each object through the equation F=GM1M2/r^2 ?
The gravitational force between the Sun and Earth is approximately 3.5 x 10^22 Newtons. This is due to the large mass of the Sun, which exerts a strong gravitational pull on the Earth.
The gravitational force between the Sun and Earth is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This means that as the distance increases, the force decreases. For example, if the distance between the two bodies doubles, the force decreases by a factor of four.
The Earth orbits around the Sun because of the gravitational force between the two bodies. This force pulls the Earth towards the Sun, but the Earth also has a tangential velocity that keeps it in a circular orbit around the Sun.
The gravitational force between the Sun and Earth affects objects on Earth by keeping them in orbit around the Sun, and by causing the tides on Earth's oceans. This force also plays a role in keeping our atmosphere in place, and in determining the weight of objects on Earth.
No, the gravitational force between the Sun and Earth is not constant. It varies slightly due to factors such as the changing distance between the two bodies and the presence of other celestial bodies in the solar system. However, these variations are small and do not significantly affect the overall force between the Sun and Earth.