Gravitational attraction problem

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves calculating the gravitational attraction between two masses, Tom and Sally, who are positioned a certain distance apart. The context is within the realm of gravitational physics.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the gravitational force equation and its application. There is a question about the meaning of treating the individuals as spherical masses, indicating a need for clarification on this assumption.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with some participants providing guidance on the gravitational force equation and questioning the original poster's understanding of the problem setup. There is no explicit consensus yet, as some confusion remains about specific terms used in the problem.

Contextual Notes

The original poster expresses uncertainty about the assumption regarding the spherical representation of the masses, which may affect their understanding of how to apply the gravitational force equation.

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Homework Statement


Tom has a mass of 70.0 kg and Sally has a mass of 50.0 kg. Tom and Sally are standing 20.0 m apart on the dance floor. Sally looks up and sees Tom. She feels an attraction. If the attraction is gravitational, find its size. Assume that both Tom and Sally can be replaced by spherical masses.
 
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Do you know the equation for gravitational force?
 
F = G(MaMb/d^2)
 
Then what is the problem? It looks like just a plug in situation no?
 
All you need to do is put the numbers in. Is there something specific that you're unsure of?
 
yeah i was just a little confused as to what "Assume that both Tom and Sally can be replaced by spherical masses" means..
 

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