You need an expression for the acceleration of the moon toward Earth.If the mass of the earth is M_e,the mass of the moon M_m,the separation of Earth and moon r,and the appropriate gravitational constant is G,the correct expression for the moon's acceleration is A)GM_eM_m/r² B)GM_eM_m²/r² C)GM_m/r² D)GM_e/r² E)GM_e/r²M_m

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The acceleration of the moon toward Earth is given by the formula:

a = GMm/r^2

where a is the acceleration, G is the gravitational constant, M is the mass of the Earth, m is the mass of the moon, and r is the separation between the centers of the Earth and the moon.

Option D correctly represents this formula, with GM/r^2 representing the gravitational force between the two bodies and Mm/r^2 being the gravitational acceleration experienced by the moon due to this force.

Therefore, choice D is the best answer.

You Need an Expression for the Acceleration of the Moon