two equal masses of 12kg each are 2m apart. WHat is the gravitational force between them?

To find the gravitational force between two masses, we can use Newton's law of universal gravitation, which states that the force (F) between two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses (m1 and m2) and inversely proportional to the square of the distance (r) between their centers.

The formula for the gravitational force (F) is given by:

F = G * (m1 * m2) / r^2

where G is the gravitational constant, approximately 6.67430 x 10^-11 N m^2 / kg^2.

In this case, we have two equal masses (m1 = m2 = 12 kg) placed 2 meters (r = 2 m) apart. We can substitute these values into the above formula to find the gravitational force.

F = (6.67430 x 10^-11 N m^2 / kg^2) * (12 kg * 12 kg) / (2 m)^2

First, let's calculate the value inside the parentheses:

12 kg * 12 kg = 144 kg^2

Next, let's calculate the value of (2 m)^2:

(2 m)^2 = 4 m^2

Now, we substitute these values into the formula:

F = (6.67430 x 10^-11 N m^2 / kg^2) * (144 kg^2) / (4 m^2)

Simplifying further:

F = (6.67430 x 10^-11 N m^2 / kg^2) * 144 / 4

F = (6.67430 x 10^-11 N m^2 / kg^2) * 36

Finally, multiplying:

F ≈ 2.40035 x 10^-9 N

Therefore, the gravitational force between the two equal masses of 12 kg each, placed 2 meters apart, is approximately 2.40035 x 10^-9 Newtons (N).