Gravitational force at midpoint between 2 equal massive bodies

In summary, the discussion revolves around whether a particle placed between two equal massive bodies experiences weightlessness, and whether this situation is equivalent to being in outer free space or being pulled with equal forces in two directions. It is noted that for a point mass, there is no difference between no forces and zero net force, but for an extended object, there may be tidal forces present in a non-uniform gravitational field.
  • #1
marek2k12
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Does a particle placed midway between 2 massive bodies experience weightlessness? Is gravity zero at this point or we just have 2 equal and opposite forces resulting in net acceleration of zero? In other words, if we pulled or pushed a particle in opposite directions but with equal force, the net force on the particle would be zero so the particle will not move in either direction, but the particle will be under stress from the 2 forces right? My question is whether the situation at the midpoint of two equal massive bodies equates to zero force as if being in outer free space or its equivalent to being pulled with equal force in 2 directions.
 
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  • #2
marek2k12 said:
Does a particle placed midway between 2 massive bodies experience weightlessness? Is gravity zero at this point or we just have 2 equal and opposite forces resulting in net acceleration of zero? In other words, if we pulled or pushed a particle in opposite directions but with equal force, the net force on the particle would be zero so the particle will not move in either direction, but the particle will be under stress from the 2 forces right? My question is whether the situation at the midpoint of two equal massive bodies equates to zero force as if being in outer free space or its equivalent to being pulled with equal force in 2 directions.
For a point mass there is no difference between no forces and zero net force. An extended object is pulled apart by tidal forces at any point of a non-uniform gravitational field.
 

1. What is the formula for calculating the gravitational force at the midpoint between two equal massive bodies?

The formula for calculating the gravitational force at the midpoint between two equal massive bodies is F = G(m1m2)/d^2, where F is the gravitational force, G is the gravitational constant, m1 and m2 are the masses of the bodies, and d is the distance between them.

2. How does the distance between the two bodies affect the gravitational force at their midpoint?

The gravitational force at the midpoint between two equal massive bodies is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This means that as the distance increases, the force decreases and vice versa.

3. What happens to the gravitational force at the midpoint if the masses of the two bodies are not equal?

If the masses of the two bodies are not equal, the gravitational force at their midpoint will still exist, but it will not be equal on both sides. The side with the larger mass will have a greater gravitational force.

4. How does the direction of the gravitational force at the midpoint between two equal massive bodies compare to the direction of the force between the two bodies?

The direction of the gravitational force at the midpoint between two equal massive bodies is always perpendicular to the line connecting the two bodies. This is the same as the direction of the force between the two bodies.

5. Can the gravitational force at the midpoint between two equal massive bodies be zero?

No, the gravitational force at the midpoint between two equal massive bodies cannot be zero. The force will always exist as long as the two bodies have mass and there is a distance between them. However, the force can approach zero as the distance between the bodies becomes infinitely large.

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