Question

Problem 3) The Gravitational Force:

The average distance between the center of the Earth and the center of the Moon is 384,000 km. A 3.00 x 10^4 kg spaceship is located halfway between the center of the Earth and the center of the Moon. Let the Earth be to the right of the spaceship and the Moon be to the left.

a) Draw a force diagram of the spaceship.

b) Solve for the net force (magnitude and direction) acting on the spaceship at this location. (Earth's mass= 5.98x10^24 kg, Moon's mass= 7.36x10^22 kg)

c) Why does the net force point towards the Earth in this case?

d) Solve for the acceleration of the spaceship at this location.

Answer 1