What is the mutual gravitational force between the Moon and the Sun at 1AU?

In summary, the conversation is about a physics problem regarding the gravitational force between the Sun and the Moon. The problem involves finding the force on each object and the person is seeking help on how to approach the problem. The suggested equation for calculating the force is mutual and follows Newton's 3rd Law of Motion.
  • #1
dluv
1
0
Hello! I came across this website on my quest to find an answer to this physics problem. I read a topic that was a similar problem, but it didn't address my question in particular. So now I'm posting my problem specifically, and thank you in advance for any help!

Homework Statement


a. What is the gravitational force on the Moon from the Sun?
b. What is the gravitational force on the Sun from the Moon?
Use 1AU as distance between the Moon and Sun.

Msun = 1.989 x 10^30 kg
Mmoon = 7.35 x 10^22 kg
1AU = 1.4960 x 10^11 m
G = 6.67 x 10^-11

Homework Equations



[tex]
F = \frac{G M_1 M_2}{R^2}
[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution



When using the above equation, I am only able to get the TOTAL gravitational force between objects, not the force of one on the other.

Is there another equation I must use or is there some way to rearrange the variables to get what I want?THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!
 
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  • #2
[tex]F_m_1 = \frac{Gm_2}{r^2}[/tex]
 
Last edited:
  • #3
The force of the Sun on the Moon is equal to the force of the Moon on the Sun, and that force is given by the equation you quote.
The equation is saying that the force is mutual (double ended) as in Newton's 3rd Law of Motion.
 

What is the gravitational force between the Moon and Sun?

The gravitational force between the Moon and Sun is approximately 46% of the force between the Earth and Moon. This is due to the larger mass of the Sun compared to the Moon.

How does the distance between the Moon and Sun affect their gravitational pull?

The distance between the Moon and Sun affects their gravitational pull by following the inverse-square law. This means that the closer the Moon is to the Sun, the stronger the gravitational force is between them.

What is the impact of the Moon and Sun's gravitational pull on Earth?

The gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun on Earth causes the tides in our oceans. The Moon's pull is stronger, so it creates larger tides than the Sun.

Why do we only see one side of the Moon from Earth?

The Moon's rotation and orbit around Earth are synchronized, meaning it takes the same amount of time for the Moon to rotate on its axis as it does to orbit around Earth. This causes the same side of the Moon to always face Earth, a phenomenon called tidal locking.

How does the Sun's gravity affect the orbits of planets in our solar system?

The Sun's gravity acts as a central force, keeping the planets in orbit around it. The larger the mass of the planet, the stronger the gravitational pull it has on the Sun, causing it to orbit at a slower speed.

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