Newton's law of gravity problem

In summary, the question asks how much closer a 7-kg tool will drift towards a 21-metric ton space station in 2 hours due to the gravitational attraction between them. Using the given gravitational constant and the tool's mass, we can calculate the gravitational force and acceleration. Using the formula for distance traveled with constant acceleration, we can find the final distance the tool will drift towards the space station. However, it is important to note that the attempt at a solution included an error of multiplying twice with the tool's mass. Once this mistake is corrected, the answer is correct.
  • #1
J.live
95
0

Homework Statement


After a spacewalk, a 7-kg tool is left 54 m from the center of gravity of a 21-metric ton space station, orbiting along with it. How much closer to the space station will the tool drift in two hours due to the gravitational attraction of the space station?

Homework Equations



Gravitational Constant : 6.674 X 10^-11 -->G

The Attempt at a Solution



1 - Finding gravitational force =G x 7 x 21,000 / 54^2 = Mt ( tool mass ) a

2 - Finding acceleration = (G x 7 x 21 , 000 / 54 ^2) x Mt = a

3 - Finding distance = Vf = Vi(0) + at ----> Vf = at

Final answer----> Vf^2 = Vi(0) + 2a ( d) ----> Vf^2 / 2a = d

This is just the procedure to solving the answer. I'll appreciate it, If someone can kindly point out my mistakes by showing work in response.
 
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  • #2
Anyone ?
 
  • #3
It looks good?
 
  • #4
No. You multiplied twice with the mass of the tool. ehild
 
  • #5
ehilds right you multiplied twice, fix that and your answer is correct.
 

FAQ: Newton's law of gravity problem

What is Newton's law of gravity?

Newton's law of gravity is a physical law that states that every object in the universe is attracted to every other object with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

How is Newton's law of gravity related to the motion of objects?

Newton's law of gravity is one of the fundamental laws of classical mechanics and is used to explain the motion of objects in the universe. It describes how the force of gravity affects the acceleration, velocity, and position of objects.

What is the equation for Newton's law of gravity?

The equation for Newton's law of gravity is F = G * (m1 * m2)/r^2, where F is the force of gravity, G is the gravitational constant, m1 and m2 are the masses of the two objects, and r is the distance between them.

How did Newton come up with his law of gravity?

Isaac Newton was inspired by the work of Galileo and Johannes Kepler on the laws of planetary motion. He combined their ideas with his own observations and experiments to formulate his law of gravity.

What are the applications of Newton's law of gravity?

Newton's law of gravity is used in many areas of science and engineering, such as predicting the motion of planets and satellites, designing spacecraft trajectories, and calculating the gravitational forces between objects on Earth. It also plays a crucial role in understanding the behavior of objects in space, such as black holes and galaxies.

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