Final answer:
When one planet out of two equal mass planets increases its mass, the new gravitational force between the planets can be calculated using the equation F = Gm1m2/r^2. Plugging in the new mass value into the equation gives a new gravitational force of 4.797 x 10^38 N.
Step-by-step explanation:
The gravitational force between two objects is given by the equation F = Gm1m2/r^2, where F is the force, G is the gravitational constant, m1 and m2 are the masses of the two objects, and r is the distance between their centers.
In this case, we have two planets with equal masses of 6 x 10^24 kg and a gravitational force of 5 x 10^17 N. When one of the planets increases its mass to 12 x 10^24 kg, the new gravitational force can be calculated using the same equation. Since the distance between the planets does not change, the only variable that changes is the mass. Plugging in the new mass value and solving for the new force, we get:
F = (6.674 × 10^-11 N·m² kg^2) * (12 x 10^24 kg) * (6 x 10^24 kg) / r^2
F = (6.674 × 10^-11 N·m² kg^2) * (72 x 10^48 kg^2) / r^2
F = 4.797 x 10^38 N