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 = Force of gravity
* G = Gravitational constant (6.674 x 10^-11 N m^2/kg^2)
* m1 = Mass of the Sun (1.989 x 10^30 kg)
* m2 = Mass of Mercury (3.30 x 10^23 kg)
* r = Distance between the Sun and Mercury (average distance is 57.91 million km = 5.791 x 10^10 m)
2. Calculation
* F = (6.674 x 10^-11 N m^2/kg^2) * (1.989 x 10^30 kg) * (3.30 x 10^23 kg) / (5.791 x 10^10 m)^2
* F ≈ 1.26 x 10^22 N (Newtons)
Therefore, the gravitational force between the Sun and Mercury is approximately 1.26 x 10^22 Newtons.
Important Note: This calculation uses the average distance between the Sun and Mercury. The actual force varies slightly due to Mercury's elliptical orbit.
