1. Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation
The force of gravity between two objects is given by:
* F = G * (m1 * m2) / r^2
Where:
* F is the gravitational force
* G is the gravitational constant (6.674 × 10^-11 N m²/kg²)
* m1 and m2 are the masses of the two objects
* r is the distance between the centers of the two objects
2. Values for the Sun and Jupiter
* Mass of the Sun (m1): 1.989 × 10^30 kg
* Mass of Jupiter (m2): 1.898 × 10^27 kg
* Average distance between the Sun and Jupiter (r): 7.78 × 10^11 meters
3. Calculation
* F = (6.674 × 10^-11 N m²/kg²) * (1.989 × 10^30 kg * 1.898 × 10^27 kg) / (7.78 × 10^11 m)^2
* F ≈ 4.16 × 10^23 Newtons
Therefore, the gravitational force that the Sun exerts on Jupiter is approximately 4.16 × 10^23 Newtons.
Important Note: This is an average value. The actual force will vary slightly due to Jupiter's elliptical orbit, which means its distance from the Sun changes throughout its year.
