Question

The gravitational force that the sun exerts on the moon is perpendicular to the force that the earth exerts on the moon. The masses are: mass of sun=1.99 × 1030 kg, mass of earth=5.98 × 1024 kg, mass of moon=7.35 × 1022 kg. The distances shown in the drawing are rSM = 1.50 × 1011 m and rEM = 3.85 × 108 m. Determine the magnitude of the net gravitational force on the moon.

Answer 1

Well, it is a right angle.


force=sqrt[(GMs (Mm/rEM^2)^2 + (Me/rSM^2)^2 ]

There is a little math here.