Two asteroids are separated by a distance R and feel a force F due to their mutual gravitational attraction. They now drift until their separation is R/3. What is their mutual gravitational attraction at this separation?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The gravitational force between two objects is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. If the distance is reduced to R/3, the force becomes (R/R/3)^2 = 9 times the original force, so the new force is 9F.

Two Asteroids Are Separated by a Distance R and Feel