Question

Astrology, that unlikely and vague pseudoscience, makes much of the position of the planets at the moment of oneâs birth. The only known force that a planet could exerts on us is gravitational, so if there is anything to astrology we should expect this force to be significant.

Required:
a. Calculate the gravitational force, in Newtons, exerted on a 4.1 kg baby by a 120 kg father who is a distance of 0.18 m away at the time of its birth.
b. Calculate the force on the baby, in Newtons, due to Jupiter (the largest planet, which has a mass of 1.90Ã10^27 kg if it is at its closest distance to Earth, 6.29Ã10^11 m away.
c. What is the ratio of the force of the father on the baby to the force of Jupiter on the baby?

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation:

Gravitational force between two objects having mass m₁ and m₂ at a distance R

F = G m₁ m₂ / R²

Force between baby and father F₁ = 6.67x10⁻¹¹ x 4.1 x 120 / .18²

= 1.01 x 10⁻⁶ N

b )

Force between baby and Jupiter

F₂ = 6.67x10⁻¹¹ x 1.9x 10²⁷ x 4.1 / ( 6.29 x 10¹¹ )²

= 1.31 x 10⁻⁶ N

c )

Ratio = 1.01 / 1.31

= .77