Gravitational force of a basketball to a golf ball

In summary, the ratio of the gravitational force exerted by one basketball on the other to that exerted by one golf ball on the other is approximately 2757. This is calculated by using the equation F=GMm/r^2 and taking the radii of the objects into account. The correct answer is 5.58, not 2757.
  • #1
kolua
69
3

Homework Statement


Two basketballs, each of mass 0.58 kg and radius0.12 m, are placed on a floor so that they touch each other. Two golf balls, each of mass 0.045 kg and radius 22 mm, are placed on a table so that they touch each other.
What is the ratio of the gravitational force exerted by one basketball on the other to that exerted by one golf ball on the other?

Homework Equations


F=GMm/r^2

The Attempt at a Solution


Fbb=G mbxmb/r12
Fgg=G mgxmg/r22
[/B]
I got the result of 5.58
is this correct?
 
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  • #2
kolua said:

Homework Statement


Two basketballs, each of mass 0.58 kg and radius0.12 m, are placed on a floor so that they touch each other. Two golf balls, each of mass 0.045 kg and radius 22 mm, are placed on a table so that they touch each other.
What is the ratio of the gravitational force exerted by one basketball on the other to that exerted by one golf ball on the other?

Homework Equations


F=GMm/r^2

The Attempt at a Solution


Fbb=G mbxmb/r12
Fgg=G mgxmg/r22
[/B]
I got the result of 5.58
is this correct?

That's a weird question. It's also a poor question, as you can get the right answer by taking ##r_b = 0.12m## and ##r_g = 0.022m##. Is that what you did?
 
  • #3
PeroK said:
That's a weird question. It's also a poor question, as you can get the right answer by taking ##r_b = 0.12m## and ##r_g = 0.022m##. Is that what you did?
Yes and I got the ratio of 2757 not 5 sorry. is that correct?
 
  • #4
kolua said:
Yes and I got the ratio of 2757 not 5 sorry. is that correct?

Have a think about what ##r## should be when you have two objects of a given radius.

Your original answer was correct, by the way.
 
  • #5
PeroK said:
Have a think about what ##r## should be when you have two objects of a given radius.

Your original answer was correct, by the way.
Got it! I put the wrong number in calculator. THX!
 

1. What is gravitational force?

Gravitational force is a natural phenomenon that causes objects with mass to be attracted to each other. It is one of the four fundamental forces in the universe.

2. How is gravitational force measured?

Gravitational force is measured in units of newtons (N). It is calculated by multiplying the mass of an object by the acceleration due to gravity, which is approximately 9.8 meters per second squared on Earth.

3. How does the mass of an object affect gravitational force?

The greater the mass of an object, the greater its gravitational force. This means that a heavier object, such as a basketball, will have a stronger gravitational force than a lighter object, such as a golf ball.

4. What is the relationship between distance and gravitational force?

The force of gravity decreases as the distance between two objects increases. This means that the gravitational force between a basketball and a golf ball will be stronger when they are closer together and weaker when they are further apart.

5. How does the shape of an object affect gravitational force?

The shape of an object does not affect its gravitational force. However, the distance between the centers of mass of two objects is what determines the strength of their gravitational pull on each other, regardless of their shapes.

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