The net force on a planet is due primarily to the other planets and the sun. By

Question

The net force on a planet is due primarily to the other planets and the sun. By taking into account all the forces acting on a planet, investigators calculated the orbit of each planet. A small discrepancy between the calculated orbit and the observed orbit of the planet Uranus was noted. It appeared that the sum of the forces on Uranus did not equal its mass times its acceleration, unless there was another force on the planet that was not inculded in the calculation. Assuming that this force was exerted by an unobserved planet, two scientists working independently calculated where this unknown planet must be in order to account for the discrepancy. Astronomers pointed their telescopes in the predicted direction and found the planet we now call Neptune.
Data: Mass of sun 1.99 x 10^30kg, Mass of Uranus: 8.73 x10^25 kg, Mass of Neptune 1.03 X 10^26kg Mean distance of uranus to the sun: 2.87 X10^12, mean distance of neptune to the sun 4.50 X10 ^12 m
1. What fundamental force is the author referring to in the reading passage as a force between planets?


2. The diagram below represents, Neptune, Uranus, and the sun in a straight line Neptune is 1.63 x 10^12 meters from uranus.
                   

Explanation / Answer

Given Mass of Uranus , M = 8.73 x10^25 kg Mass of Neptune , m = 1.03 X 10^26kg mean distance of Uranus to Neptune is ,d = 1.63 x 10^12 m 1.The fundamental force between the planets is the Gravitational force    which is given by the relation F = GMm /d^2 Here G is the Gravitational constant, given by G = 6.67*10^-11 Nm^2/kg^2 2.The force between the two planets Uranus and Neptune is    F = GMm /d^2       = ( 6.67*10^-11 Nm^2/kg^2) * (8.73 x10^25 kg) *(1.03 X 10^26kg ) /( 1.63 x 10^12 m)^2 F = 2.25 *10^17 N

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