Gravitaional attraction between two objects

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In summary, the conversation discusses the gravitational attraction between the Earth and the moon and how it would change if the mass of the Earth and moon were doubled and tripled, respectively. The solution is found by using the formula F = G*m1*m2/r^2 and substituting the new masses, resulting in a force that is six times stronger. However, it is important to note that asking for direct help with homework is against the rules of the forum.
  • #1
EliteCodexer
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Homework Statement


If the mass of the Earth were twice as big, and the mass of the moon were three times bigger, by what factor would the gravitational attraction between the two be multiplied?


Homework Equations


0f36df929ac9d711a8ba8c5658c3bfee.png



The Attempt at a Solution


Ive used this formula and failed twice to get the correct answer. please help.
 
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  • #2
EliteCodexer said:

Homework Statement


If the mass of the Earth were twice as big, and the mass of the moon were three times bigger, by what factor would the gravitational attraction between the two be multiplied?


Homework Equations


0f36df929ac9d711a8ba8c5658c3bfee.png



The Attempt at a Solution


Ive used this formula and failed twice to get the correct answer. please help.
Show us what you did.

Chet
 
  • #3
6.67×10−11 N·(m/kg)2 x [(1.194438 x 10 ^19) x (2.204301927 x 10^14)/147765666409]

Mass of earth: 5.97219 × 10^24 kg
Mass of moon: 7.34767309 × 10^22 kg
Distance between centers of masses: 384,403 km
 
  • #4
Rather than put all the numbers in, just note that F depends on the product of the masses. So if one mass doubles and the other triples, you can replace m1 with 2xm1 and m2 with 3xm2. Write both equations (the original one and the one with the new masses) side by side, and the answer should be obvious...
 
  • #5
nope. still not getting it.
 
  • #6
So, in the original equation, you have

F = G*m1*m2/r^2

In the new equation, you have

F' = G *(2xm1)*(3xm2)/r^2 = 6*G*m1*m2/r^2 = 6*F

So the force is increased by a factor of 6. Does that make sense?

(Apologies for the badly formatted equations, I'm useless with this stuff... will have to learn).
 
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  • #7
OOOHHHH. wow. Yeah i get it now. Sorry it took me so long. I thinking way to much into it. Thank you!
 
  • #8
Naz93 said:
So, in the original equation, you have

F = G*m1*m2/r^2

In the new equation, you have

F' = G *(2xm1)*(3xm2)/r^2 = 6*G*m1*m2/r^2 = 6*F

So the force is increased by a factor of 6. Does that make sense?

(Apologies for the badly formatted equations, I'm useless with this stuff... will have to learn).

Please check your PMs. It is against the PF rules to do other students' homework for them.
 

FAQ: Gravitaional attraction between two objects

What is gravitational attraction between two objects?

Gravitational attraction is the force of attraction between two objects due to their masses. It is one of the fundamental forces of nature and is responsible for keeping the planets in orbit around the sun and creating the structure of the universe.

How is gravitational attraction calculated?

The force of gravitational attraction between two objects can be calculated using Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation, which states that the force is directly proportional to the product of the masses of the two objects and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

What factors affect the strength of gravitational attraction?

The strength of gravitational attraction between two objects is affected by their masses and the distance between them. The greater the masses of the objects, the stronger the gravitational force. The farther apart the objects are, the weaker the gravitational force.

Can gravitational attraction be negative?

No, gravitational attraction is always a positive force. It is a force of attraction, so it can never be negative. However, if there are other forces acting on the objects, the net force could be negative.

How does gravitational attraction vary with distance?

Gravitational attraction decreases as the distance between two objects increases. This is because the force of gravity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the objects. This means that as the distance between two objects doubles, the force of gravitational attraction decreases by a factor of four.

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