Question

Given:

Fg = (m1 * m2) / d^2
Where:
Fg - the force of attraction between two masses
m1 = mass #1 (200 kg)
m2 = mass #2 (50 kg)
The distance between the two is 35 m. Find the value of Fg.

A) 0.02 N
B) 0.08 N
C) 0.16 N
D) 0.32 N

Answer 1

The gravitational force (Fg) between two masses m1 and m2 separated by a distance d is calculated using the gravitational constant. ... Upon calculation, an unexpected result of approximately 0.00054 N ...

Step-by-step explanation:

The question is asking to compute the gravitational force between two masses using Newton's law of universal gravitation. The formula to calculate the gravitational force (Fg) between two masses is Fg = G * (m1 * m2) / d2, where G is the gravitational constant (6.674 × 10-11 N·m·kg-2), m1 and m2 are the masses of the two objects, and d is the distance between their centers of mass.

Using the provided values, m1 = 200 kg, m2 = 50 kg, and d = 35 m, we can insert these into the gravitational force equation:

Fg = (6.674 × 10-11 N·m·kg-2) * (200 kg * 50 kg) / (35 m)2

Fg = (6.674 × 10-11 × 10000 kg2) / 1225 m2

Fg = 6.674 × 10-7 N / 1225

Fg = 0.0005448 N

This value rounds to 0.00054 N when considering significant figures, which is not an option in the provided multiple-choice answers. Thus, it's important to review the calculation and options presented to ensure that a calculation or typographical error has not been made.