- #1
brendan3eb
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Homework Statement
How far from Earth must a space prove be along a line toward the Sun, so that that the Sun's gravitational pull on the probe balances the Earth's pull
Homework Equations
F=Gm1m2/d^2
The Attempt at a Solution
d1=distance from probe to Earth
distance from sun to Earth = 1.50x10^11 m
distance from the sun to probe = 1.5x10^11 m - d1
mass of Earth = 5.98x10^24 kg = m2
mass of sun = 1.99x10^30 kg = m3
m1 = mass of probe
I set the force on the probe from Earth equal to the force on the probe from the sun to get:
(Gm2m1)/d1^2 = (Gm1m3)/(d1^2-(3.0x10^11)d1+2.25x10^22)
When I solve for d1, I do not get the answer which is 2.6x10^5 Km. It could easily be a math error, but the fact that I have to use such tedious calculations makes me wonder if I am doing the problem correctly, especially as the mass of sun, mass of earth, distance from sun to Earth are not given.
(Gm2m1