Answer to Question #17506 in Astronomy | Astrophysics for janice

two 1000kg asteroids are located 10m apart in the asteroid belt. What is the gravitational attraction between them.

F1 = G*M*M/r² =

= 6.67384×10^(-11)[m³/kg/s²] * 1000[kg] * 1000[kg] / (20[m])² =

& asymp; 1.6685*10^(-7) [N].

B) if the mass of the first astroid triples, how would the force change?

F2 = G*3*M*M/r² = 3F1.

So, the force will triple.

C) if the mass of the first asteroid triples and then distance reduced by half, what would the new force be?

F3 = G*3*M*M/(r/2)² =

= 6.67384×10^(-11)[m³/kg/s²] * 3 * 1000[kg] * 1000[kg] / (20[m]/2)² =

& asymp; 2.0022*10^(-6) [N].