Understanding the Formula
The force of gravity between two objects is calculated using Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation:
* F = (G * m1 * m2) / r²
Where:
* F is the force of gravity (in Newtons)
* G is the gravitational constant (approximately 6.674 x 10⁻¹¹ N⋅m²/kg²)
* m1 is the mass of the first object (in kilograms)
* m2 is the mass of the second object (in kilograms)
* r is the distance between the centers of the two objects (in meters)
Calculations
1. Plug in the values:
* F = (6.674 x 10⁻¹¹ N⋅m²/kg² * 120 kg * 100 kg) / (3 m)²
2. Simplify and solve:
* F = (8.0088 x 10⁻⁷ N⋅m²) / 9 m²
* F ≈ 8.8987 x 10⁻⁸ N
Answer:
The gravitational force between a 120 kg mass and a 100 kg mass that are 3 meters apart is approximately 8.8987 x 10⁻⁸ Newtons.
Important Note:
* The gravitational force between everyday objects is extremely small. This is why we don't feel the gravitational pull between objects like our bodies and a chair. The force becomes significant when dealing with very large masses, like planets or stars.
