Universal Law of Gravitation Video Lessons

Concept

# Problem: What is the magnitude of the gravitational force acting on the sun due to the earth?a. The earth does not exert any gravitational force on the sun.b. The earth exerts some force on the sun, but less than 3.53×1022N because the earth, which is exerting the force, is so much less massive than the sun.c. The earth exerts 3.53×1022N of force on the sun, exactly the same amount of force the sun exerts on the earth found in Part A.d. The earth exerts more than 3.53×1022N of force on the sun because the sun, which is experiencing the force, is so much more massive than the earth.

###### FREE Expert Solution

From Newton's Third Law, Action and Reaction forces are equal but opposite.

Therefore, the earth exerts an equal force on the sun as the force exerted by the sun on the earth.

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###### Problem Details

What is the magnitude of the gravitational force acting on the sun due to the earth?

a. The earth does not exert any gravitational force on the sun.

b. The earth exerts some force on the sun, but less than 3.53×1022N because the earth, which is exerting the force, is so much less massive than the sun.

c. The earth exerts 3.53×1022N of force on the sun, exactly the same amount of force the sun exerts on the earth found in Part A.

d. The earth exerts more than 3.53×1022N of force on the sun because the sun, which is experiencing the force, is so much more massive than the earth.