# Gravitational attraction between 3 masses.

by lsatwd
Tags: attraction, gravitational, masses
 P: 5 1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data A small mass M and a small mass 3M are 3.60m apart. Where should you put a third small mass so that the net gravitational force on it due to the other two masses is zero?(From mass M) 2. Relevant equations F = G(m1)(m2)/d^2 3. The attempt at a solution I envisioned the problem to originally look like this: [1M] [3M] And adding in the 3rd mass I envisioned it to look something like this: [1M] (1M) [3M] I then tried solving the problem by setting the two unknown variables (the distance between the 3rd mass and 1st mass and the 3rd mass and the 2nd mass) like this: x = Distance between [1M] and (1M) 3.60-x = distance between (1M) and [3m] I was thinking this would give me an equation looking like this: G[1M](1M)/x^2 = G(1M)[3M]/(3.60-x)^2 I tried solving this but it's not giving me the right answer... Should the right equation above be G(2M)(3M)/(3.60-x)^2 because of combined mass?