The mass of the moon is 7.36×1022kg and its distance to the Earth is 3.84×108m. What is the gravitational force of the moon on the earth? The moon's force is what percent of the sun's force?

1 Answer
Jan 5, 2017

F=1.989*10^20 kgm/s^2
3.7*10^-6%

Explanation:

Using Newton's gravitational force equation

F=(Gm_1m_2)/(r^2)

and assuming that the mass of the Earth is

m_1=5.972*10^24kg

and m_2 is the given mass of the moon with G being

6.674*10^-11Nm^2/(kg)^2

gives 1.989*10^20 kgm/s^2 for F of the moon.

Repeating this with m_2 as the mass of the sun gives

F=5.375*10^27kgm/s^2

This gives the moon's gravitational force as 3.7*10^-6% of the Sun's gravitational force.