Final answer:
To solve for m1 in the gravitational force equation Fg = G * (m1 * m2) / r², reconfigure the equation to m1 = Fg * r² / (G * m2), then multiply Fg by r² and divide by G * m2.
Step-by-step explanation:
The equation given by the student is derived from Newton's law of universal gravitation, which is used to calculate the gravitational force (Fg) between two masses. The full equation is Fg = G * (m1 * m2) / r², where G is the gravitational constant, m1 and m2 are the masses of the two objects, and r is the distance between their centers of mass. If we are solving for m1, we can rearrange the equation to m1 = Fg * r² / (G * m2).
To find m1 given the force of gravity (Fg), the distance (r), and mass m2, you would multiply Fg by the square of the distance (r²) and then divide that by the product of the gravitational constant (G) and mass m2.