1. Gravitation: Use Your Brain Power (7)

According to Newton’s law of gravitation, every object attracts every other object. Thus, if the earth attracts an apple towards itself, the apple also attracts the earth towards itself with the same force. Why then does the apple fall towards the earth, but the earth does not move towards the apple?
The apple also attracts the earth with equal force, but the mass of the apple is very low compared to the mass of the earth. According to Newton’s second law, F = ma \[i.e. a = {F \over m}.\]It is clear that, the greater the mass, the lower is the acceleration. Hence, due to the greater mass of the earth, the acceleration is almost zero. Thus, the apple falls towards the earth, but the earth does not move towards the apple 2 Marks

According to Newton’s law of gravitation, every object attracts every other object.
Thus, if the earth attracts an apple towards itself, the apple also attracts the earth towards itself with the same force. Why then does the apple fall towards the earth, but the earth does not move towards the apple?

The apple also attracts the earth with equal force, but the mass of the apple is very low compared to the mass of the earth.
According to Newton’s second law, F = ma
\[i.e. a = {F \over m}.\]It is clear that, the greater the mass, the lower is the acceleration. Hence, due to the greater mass of the earth, the acceleration is almost zero. Thus, the apple falls towards the earth, but the earth does not move towards the apple
2 Marks