Question

A spacecraft is launched from Earth toward the moon where will the spacecraft be when the gravitational forces acting on it are equal

A closer to earth than to the moon because the moon has greater mass than the earth

B closer to the moon because the moon greater mass than the earth

C closer to earth than to the moon because earth has greater mass

D Closer to moon than earth because earth has a greater mass than the moon

Answer 1

I would go with d makes more sense

Answer 2

D Closer to moon than earth because earth has a greater mass than the moon

Step-by-step explanation:

As we know that gravitational force is given by

`F = (Gm_1m_2)/(r^2)`

so here if the net gravitational force at some distance between moon and earth is zero or equal due to moon and earth then in that case

`F_(moon) = F_(earth)`

so here we can say

`(GM_m m)/(r_1^2) = (GM_e m)/(r_2^2)`

so here we will have

`(M_m)/(M_e) = (r_1^2)/(r_2^2)`

since mass of earth is more than mass of moon so we can say

`(r_1)/(r_2) < 1`

so here we have

`r_1 < r_2`

so the position is closer to moon because moon is of smaller mass than earth