Question:

A small object with a mass of 0.5 kg is located 2 meters away from a large object with a mass of 5 kg. Calculate the gravitational force between the two objects.

Answer:

The gravitational force between two objects can be calculated using the formula:

F = G * (m1 * m2) / r^2

where:

• F is the gravitational force between the two objects
• G is the gravitational constant (6.67430 × 10^-11 N m^2/kg^2)
• m1 is the mass of object 1
• m2 is the mass of object 2
• r is the distance between the two objects

Given:

• m1 = 0.5 kg
• m2 = 5 kg
• r = 2 m

Substituting the values into the formula, we have:

F = (6.67430 × 10^-11 N m^2/kg^2) * (0.5 kg * 5 kg) / (2 m)^2

Simplifying further:

F = (6.67430 × 10^-11 N m^2/kg^2) * (2.5 kg^2) / (4 m^2)

Now, let's solve for F:

F = (6.67430 × 10^-11 N m^2/kg^2) * (2.5) / (4)

F = (6.67430 × 10^-11 N m^2/kg^2) * (0.625)

Using a calculator, we find the value of F to be approximately:

F ≈ 1.04 × 10^-10 N

Therefore, the gravitational force between the two objects is approximately 1.04 × 10^-10 Newtons (N).