During a solar eclipse the Moon is positioned directly between Earth and the Sun

Question

During a solar eclipse the Moon is positioned directly between Earth and the Sun. Find the magnitude of the net gravitational force acting on the Moon then, due to both Earth and the Sun. The masses of the Sun, Earth, and the Moon are 1.99 times 1030 kg, 5.98 times 1024 kg, and 7.36 times 1022 kg, respectively. The Moon's mean distance from Earth is 3.84 times 108 m, and Earth's mean distance from the Sun is 150 times 1011 m. The gravitational constant is G = 6.67 times 10-11Nm2 /kg2. What is direction of this force?

Explanation / Answer

In a solar eclipse the moon comes in between the sun and earth obstrcting some part of the rays from the sun

hence diatance between sun and moon+ distance between moon and earth= distance between sun and earth

gravitational force= G(m1)(m2)/r^2

force on the moon due to sun=4.36 *10^(20) towards the sun

force on moon due to earth= 1.99*10^(20) towards earth

hence net gravitational force= 2.369*10^(20) N

towards sun

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