Final answer:
The size of the gravitational force acting on a 1 kg object due to a larger object of mass 2.0 x 10³⁰ kg and at a distance of 7.0 x 10⁵ m is calculated using Newton's law of universal gravitation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is inquiring about the gravitational force acting on a smaller object due to the presence of a larger object. To calculate this force, one must use Newton's law of universal gravitation, which states that the force (F) between two masses (m1 and m2) is proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance (r) between their centers. The formula for gravitational force is F = G * (m1 * m2) / r², where G is the gravitational constant, 6.674 × 10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg².
Using the provided values:
- m1 = 1 kg (mass of the smaller object)
- m2 = 2.0 × 10³⁰ kg (mass of the larger object)
- r = 7.0 × 10⁵ m (distance between the centers of the two objects)
We plug these values into the formula:
F = (6.674 × 10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg²) * (1 kg * 2.0 × 10³⁰ kg) / (7.0 × 10⁵ m)²
After carrying out the calculations, the gravitational force (F) comes out to be a very small value, consistent with our understanding of the weakness of the gravitational force at such distances.