Physics Technology Update (4th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-32190-308-0
ISBN 13: 978-0-32190-308-2

Chapter 12 - Gravity - Problems and Conceptual Exercises - Page 413: 80

Answer

$\frac{m_1}{m_2}=\frac{1}{2}$

Work Step by Step

We know that the centripetal forces of both planets are equal: $m_1(\frac{v_1^2}{r_1})=m_2(\frac{v_2^2}{r_2})$ As $v=2\pi rT$ $\frac{m_1(\frac{2\pi r_1}{T})^2}{r_1}=\frac{m_2(\frac{2\pi r_2}{T})^2}{r_2}$ This simplifies to: $m_1r_1=m_2r_2$ This can be rearranged as: $\frac{m_1}{m_2}=\frac{r_1}{r_2}=\frac{r_1}{2r_1}$ $\frac{m_1}{m_2}=\frac{1}{2}$
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