Webpage title: Calculating Acceleration and G for Two Isolated Spheres

In summary, two isolated spheres of masses 1.00 g and 1.00 * 10^2 kg are initially at rest and 15.0 cm apart. After one minute, the small sphere has moved 0.534 mm towards the larger sphere. To solve for the acceleration and G, we can use the law of gravity and the definition of a force.
  • #1
Miike012
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Two spheres of masses m1 = 1.00 g and m2 = 1.00 *10^2
kg are isolated from all other bodies and are initially at
rest, with their centers a distance r = 15.0 cm apart. One
minute later, the smaller sphere has moved 0.534 mm
toward the larger sphere. Compute the acceleration and G.

Solution:

No idea where to being.. some hints please?
 
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  • #2
To start the two masses are so greatly different the problem seems to only want you to consider the small ball as moving. I'd begin by writing down the law of gravity and the definition of a force. With those you can probably find a way to calculate acceleration.
 

FAQ: Webpage title: Calculating Acceleration and G for Two Isolated Spheres

What is acceleration?

Acceleration is the rate of change of an object's velocity over time. It is a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction.

How is acceleration calculated?

Acceleration can be calculated by dividing the change in velocity by the change in time. The formula for acceleration is a = (vf - vi) / t, where a is acceleration, vf is final velocity, vi is initial velocity, and t is time.

What are the units for acceleration?

The units for acceleration are typically meters per second squared (m/s^2) in the metric system and feet per second squared (ft/s^2) in the imperial system.

What is the difference between positive and negative acceleration?

Positive acceleration occurs when an object's velocity increases over time, while negative acceleration (also known as deceleration) occurs when an object's velocity decreases over time. Positive acceleration is represented by a positive value, while negative acceleration is represented by a negative value.

How does mass affect acceleration?

According to Newton's Second Law of Motion, the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. This means that a larger mass will require a greater force to achieve the same acceleration as a smaller mass.

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