The gravitational force that the Earth exerts on the Moon is equal and opposite to that which the Moon exerts on the Earth. Therefore, according to Newton's second law of motion,
A)the Moon and the Earth both have equal accelerations, because the forces are equal.
B)the Earth has a larger acceleration than the Moon, because it has a larger mass.
C)the Moon has a larger acceleration than the Earth, because it has a smaller mass.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Newton's second law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on the object and inversely proportional to its mass. Since the gravitational force between the Earth and the Moon is the same for both, but the Moon has a smaller mass, it experiences a larger acceleration.

The Gravitational Force That the Earth Exerts on the Moon