Gravitation · NEET Preparation Physics

Two heavy spheres of masses m1 and m2 are kept at a fixed distance apart. A third particle of mass m is placed at a point where the net gravitational…

Practice question from Gravitation (NEET Preparation Physics), with the correct answer and a step-by-step solution.

medium · MCQ · Q-40EC98

Two heavy spheres of masses m1m_1 and m2m_2 are kept at a fixed distance apart. A third particle of mass mm is placed at a point where the net gravitational force on it from the two spheres is zero. The distance of this point from mass m1m_1 is:

  1. A.ACorrect answer
  2. B.B
  3. C.C
  4. D.D

Solution

Let the distance between m1m_1 and m2m_2 be dd, and let the point be at distance xx from m1m_1. Then the distance from m2m_2 is (d−x)(d-x). For zero net force, Gm1mx2=Gm2m(d−x)2  ⟹  m1x=m2d−x  ⟹  x=dm1m1+m2\frac{G m_1 m}{x^2} = \frac{G m_2 m}{(d-x)^2} \implies \frac{\sqrt{m_1}}{x} = \frac{\sqrt{m_2}}{d-x} \implies x = \frac{d \sqrt{m_1}}{\sqrt{m_1} + \sqrt{m_2}}.

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