Question

The gravitational pull of the sun on Earth keeps Earth orbiting around the sun. Which statement is correct about the force that Earth exerts on the sun?

a) Earth pulls the sun away from itself with a force equal to the ratio of the mass of the sun to the mass of Earth.
b) Earth pulls the sun away from itself with an equal force.
c) Earth pulls the sun toward itself with an equal force.
d) Earth pulls the sun toward itself with a force equal to the ratio of the mass of the sun to the mass of Earth.

Answer 1

The Earth exerts a gravitational force on the sun that is equal in magnitude but opposite in direction, as per Newton's third law of motion. This means the correct answer is c) Earth pulls the sun toward itself with an equal force.

Step-by-step explanation:

The force that Earth exerts on the sun is governed by Newton's universal law of gravitation, which states that every particle attracts every other particle in the universe with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. Therefore, the correct statement about the force that the Earth exerts on the sun is c) Earth pulls the sun toward itself with an equal force. Newton's third law of motion, which is often summarized as 'for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction,' dictates that if the sun exerts a gravitational force on Earth, then Earth must exert an equal and opposite force on the sun. Though the two forces are equal in magnitude, the effect of this force is much less noticeable on the sun because of its much larger mass compared to Earth.