Answer to Question #57030 in Mechanics | Relativity for Anita Trice

Question

Astrology, that unlikely and vague psuedoscience, makes much of the position of the planets at the moment of birth. The only known force a planet exerts on earth is gravitational.
a) Calculate the gravitational force exerted on a 3.00 kg baby by a 90 kg father 0.150 away at birth (assisting so he is close).
b)Calculate the force on the baby due to Jupiter if it is at its closest to earth, some 6.29xe11 m away, showing it to be comparible to that of the father. The mass of Jupiter is about 1.90x e27 kg. Other objects in the room and the hospital building also exert similar gravitational forces. (of course, there could be unknown force acting, but scientist first need to be convinced that there is even an effect, much less that an unknown force causes it.)