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How far apart are a 900kg car and an 80kg man if they experience a gravitational attraction of 1 N?

User Gamma
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1 Answer

5 votes

F = G M₁ M₂ / R²

G = 6.67 x 10⁻¹¹ m³ / kg - s²

Without units . . .

1 = (6.67 x 10⁻¹¹) (900) (80) / R²

R² = (6.67 x 10⁻¹¹ x 900 x 80)

R² = 4.8 x 10⁻⁶

R = √(4.8 x 10⁻⁶)

R = 0.0022 meter

R = 2.2 millimeters

The man's center of mass has to be 2.2 millimeters from the car's center of mass. The car's center of mass may be somewhere in the back seat, but the man's center of mass is inside him, behind his belly-button. So the whole thing is pretty much impossible.

User Alan Ocallaghan
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