An 9.00 kg point mass and a 15.0 kg point mass are held in place 50.0 cm apart.

Question

An 9.00 kg point mass and a 15.0 kg point mass are held in place 50.0 cm apart. A particle of mass m is released from a point between the two masses 16.0 cm from the 9.00 kg mass along the line connecting the two fixed masses.

Find the magnitude of the acceleration of the particle in m/s?

Find whether the acceleration is in the direction of the 9.00 kg point mass or the 15.0 kg point mass?

i tried to do the problem and got 3.21 * 10^ -8 by adding up the gravitational forces using f = Gm1m2/r^2 but got the wrong answer please help!! and show steps.

Explanation / Answer

net force on the mass= m*6.67*10-11[9/0.16*0.16 - 15/0.34*0.34]=m*1.48*10^-8 N

note: the forces dont add up rather get subtracted as the forces are directed opposite to each other

so net acceleration,a= F/m=1.48*10^-8 m/s2

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