Question

Center of mass of earth moon system

A) Located inside the Earth's surface, towards the Moon.
B) At the exact center between Earth and Moon.
C) Located inside the Moon's surface, towards the Earth.
D) Slightly closer to the Earth's surface but not at the center.

Answer 1

The center of mass of the Earth-Moon system is located some 1700 km below the surface of Earth. The Moon orbits the center of gravity of the Earth and Moon, not the center of the Earth.

Step-by-step explanation:

The center of mass of the Earth-Moon system is located some 1700 km below the surface of Earth.

By the laws of motion, the Moon orbits the center of gravity of the Earth and Moon, not the center of the Earth.

This location allows astronomers to deduce the mass and gravity of the Moon.