Final answer:
The gravitational force between two objects can be reworked to solve for one mass, resulting in the formula m = Fd²/(GM), using the known gravitational constant G and known values for F, d, and M.
Step-by-step explanation:
The force of gravity F between two objects can be defined by the equation: F = GmM/d², where G is the gravitational constant, m and M are the masses of the objects, and d is the distance between the centers of the two objects. To solve for one of the masses, say m, you would rearrange the formula to m = Fd²/(GM).
This allows you to calculate the mass m if you know the gravitational force F, the distance d, the mass M, and the gravitational constant G.
The universal gravitational constant G has a measured value of 6.673 × 10⁻¹¹ Nm²/kg². This formula is crucial for understanding the gravitational attraction between two bodies, whether they are planets or other massive celestial objects.
The formula to calculate the force of gravity between two objects is F = Gm₁m₂/d². To solve for one of the mass values, we can rearrange the formula as m₂ = (F * d²) / (G * m₁). This equation allows us to find the mass of the second object when the force of gravity, the distance between the objects, the mass of the first object, and the gravitational constant are known.