QUESTION IMAGE
Question
the gravitational force between two objects is the same strength in both directions. this is because of newtons third law of motion, which states that for every action force, there is an equal and opposite reaction force. even if one object is much less massive than the other, it will still exert the same gravitational force on the more massive object as the more massive object exerts on it. but the same force will have a larger effect on the less massive object. a side - by - side size comparison of earth and the moon complete the paragraph. the strength of earths gravitational pull on the moon is the strength of the moons gravitational pull on earth. because earth is much massive than the moon, is more significantly impacted by the gravitational force between them. thats why, and not the other way around.
The content is based on Newton's third law of motion and gravitational force principles. Newton's third law dictates equal and opposite forces between two objects, so Earth and the Moon exert equal gravitational pull. Since acceleration from a force is inversely proportional to mass ($a=\frac{F}{m}$), the less massive object (Moon) is more affected, leading it to orbit Earth.
Snap & solve any problem in the app
Get step-by-step solutions on Sovi AI
Photo-based solutions with guided steps
Explore more problems and detailed explanations
The strength of Earth's gravitational pull on the Moon is equal to the strength of the Moon's gravitational pull on Earth. Because Earth is much more massive than the Moon, the Moon is more significantly impacted by the gravitational force between them. That's why the Moon orbits Earth, and not the other way around.