One of two objects has its mass made three times as large, and the distance between them is made…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
One of two objects has its mass made three times as large, and the distance between them is made three times as large too. By what factor does the force of gravity change?
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
The law of gravitation: , with and the distance between the centres. The Earth: , .
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. Mass. .
Step 2. Distance. .
Answer: : the force falls to a third.
Watch out. The distance counts twice, because it is squared.
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