Given the mean distance between the Moon and the Earth is 3.84 * 10⁸ m,determine the magnitude of the gravitational force exerted by the Moon of mass 7.32 * 10²² kg on a 70-kg man standing on the surface of the Earth.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The gravitational force $F$ between two masses $m_1$ and $m_2$ separated by a distance $r$ is given by Newton's law of universal gravitation: $F = G \frac{m_1 m_2}{r^2}$, where $G$ is the gravitational constant ($6.674 \times 10^{-11} \, \text{Nm}^2/\text{kg}^2$). Using the given values: the mass of the Moon ($7.32 \times 10^{22}$ kg), the mass of the man (70 kg), and the distance between the Moon and the Earth ($3.84 \times 10^8$ m), the calculated force comes out to be approximately $2.33 \times 10^{-3}$ N, which corresponds to choice A.

Given the Mean Distance Between the Moon and the Earth