Question

a baseball has 5 times more mass than a golf ball. the distance between them is 0.25 meters. if the baseball were replaced with another golf ball, and the distance between them was unchanged, what would happen to the attractive force between them? it would be less. there would no longer be an attractive force. it would be equal. it would be greater.

Explanation:

Step1: Recall gravitational - force formula

The gravitational force between two objects is given by $F = G\frac{m_1m_2}{r^{2}}$, where $G$ is the gravitational constant, $m_1$ and $m_2$ are the masses of the two objects, and $r$ is the distance between them.

Step2: Analyze initial situation

Let the mass of the golf - ball be $m$, then the mass of the baseball is $5m$. The initial force $F_1=G\frac{m\times5m}{r^{2}} = 5G\frac{m^{2}}{r^{2}}$, with $r = 0.25$m.

Step3: Analyze new situation

When the baseball is replaced with a golf - ball, the mass of both objects is $m$. The new force $F_2=G\frac{m\times m}{r^{2}}=G\frac{m^{2}}{r^{2}}$.

Step4: Compare forces

Since $F_2=\frac{1}{5}F_1$, the attractive force would be less.

Answer:

It would be less.