Some believe that the positions of the planets at the time of birth influence th

Question

Some believe that the positions of the planets at the time of birth influence the newborn. Others deride this belief and claim that the gravitational force exerted on a baby by the obstetrician is greater than that exerted by the planets. To check this claim, calculate and compare the magnitude of the gravitational force exerted on a 2.7 kg baby (a) by a 71 kg obstetrician who is 5.6 m away and roughly approximated as a point mass, (b) by the massive planet Jupiter (m = 2 × 1027 kg) at its closest approach to Earth (= 6 × 1011 m), and (c) by Jupiter at its greatest distance from Earth (= 9 × 1011 m).

Explanation / Answer

a) F = Gm1m2/r^2 = (6.67*10^-11*2.7*71)/(5.6^2) = 4.1*10^-10 N

b) = Gm1m2/r^2 = (6.67*10^-11*2.7*2*10^27)/(( 6*10^11)^2) = 1.0*10^-6 N

c) = Gm1m2/r^2 = (6.67*10^-11*2.7*2*10^27)/(( 9*10^11)^2) = 4.45*10^-7 N

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