Question:

What is the reason for earth not moving towards the moon, even though moon attracts the earth ?

Updated On: May 15, 2024
  • The mass of the earth is much larger than the mass of the moon, it accelerates at a rate lesser than the acceleration rate of the moon towards the earth
  • The mass of the moon is much larger than the mass of the earth, it accelerates at a rate lesser than the acceleration rate of the earth towards the moon
  • The mass of the earth is similar to that of the moon, and both accelerate at a same rate
  • Both experience unequal gravitational forces from each other
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Earth and the moon experience equal magnitude o f gravitational force due to each other
Acceleration of moon, $a_{m}=\frac{F}{M_{m}}$
Acceleration of earth, $a_{e} =\frac{F}{M_{e}}$
Since $M_{e} > > \, M_{m}$ so $a_{e} << a_{m}$
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Concepts Used:

Gravitation

In mechanics, the universal force of attraction acting between all matter is known as Gravity, also called gravitation, . It is the weakest known force in nature.

Newton’s Law of Gravitation

According to Newton’s law of gravitation, “Every particle in the universe attracts every other particle with a force whose magnitude is,

  • F ∝ (M1M2) . . . . (1)
  • (F ∝ 1/r2) . . . . (2)

On combining equations (1) and (2) we get,

F ∝ M1M2/r2

F = G × [M1M2]/r2 . . . . (7)

Or, f(r) = GM1M2/r2

The dimension formula of G is [M-1L3T-2].