Calculating Gravitational Force between Neptune and the Sun

In summary, the mass of the sun is 332800 times that of the Earth and the mass of Neptune is 17 times that of Earth. Using the gravitational constant of 6.67 x 10^-11 N m2/kg2 and the given mass of Earth (5.98 x10^24 kg), the average gravitational force experienced by Neptune due to the sun can be calculated by multiplying the mass of Neptune (1.0166 x 10^26 kg) by the mass of the sun (1.99 x 10^36 kg) and dividing that by the square of the average orbital radius of Neptune (4503.99 x 10^9 m). This results in a value of 6.
  • #1
Axson
5
0

Homework Statement



The mass of the sun is 332800 times that of the mass of Earth. The mass of neptune is 17 times that of the mass of the Earth. If the average orbital radius (distance from the sun) of neptune is 4503.99 x109 m, calculate the average gravitational force that neptune experiences due to the sun. Express your answer in units of 1021 N.
(The gravitational constant is 6.67 x 10^-11 N m2/kg2 and the mass of Earth is 5.98 x10^24 kg.)


The Attempt at a Solution



ok so i set up the problem like this..

(6.67 x 10^-11)(1.0166 x 10^26)(1.99 x 10^36) all over
(4503.99 x 10^9)^2

= 6.67 x 10^20 - which is wrong; I've used 1/3 tries on lon-capa and i kinda want to know what I am doing wrong here..

** to get the mass of the sun and neptune i just times them by the mass of Earth (5.98 x10^24)(17) for neptune and (5.98 x10^24)(332800) for the sun
 
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  • #2
the answer is given as

something x10^21 N
 
  • #3
solved it.. thanks for no help
 

Related to Calculating Gravitational Force between Neptune and the Sun

1. What is gravitational force?

Gravitational force is the attractive force that exists between two objects with mass. It is the force responsible for keeping the planets in orbit around the sun and objects on Earth from floating away.

2. How is gravitational force calculated?

Gravitational force is calculated using the formula F = G * (m1 * m2)/ r^2, where F is the force, G is the universal gravitational constant, m1 and m2 are the masses of the two objects, and r is the distance between them.

3. What is the unit of measurement for gravitational force?

The unit of measurement for gravitational force is Newtons (N). This is a unit of force named after Sir Isaac Newton, who first described the laws of motion and gravity.

4. How does the mass and distance between objects affect gravitational force?

The gravitational force between two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses. This means that the more massive the objects are, the stronger the gravitational force will be. The force is also inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the objects. This means that the farther apart the objects are, the weaker the gravitational force will be.

5. Can gravitational force be negative?

No, gravitational force cannot be negative. It is always an attractive force, meaning it pulls objects towards each other. However, the direction of the force may be negative if it is pulling in the opposite direction of the chosen coordinate system.

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