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Re: equal gravity



1.)
There is a point along the line joining two point masses (M1 and M2) where
the net gravitational force on a third test mass is zero. This point is a
distance x from M1 (directly toward M2) such that

M1/x^2 = M2/(L-x)^2 , where L is the separation of the two masses.
There are two mathematical solutions to this equation; only one answers
the physical questiom:

x = L/(1+SQR[M2/M1]).

2.)
The other thing I'm looking for is an article related to the above
concept.
Someone had determined how they could "ride" this ridge of equal gravity
from one
location to another. The analogy they gave was a spaceman, who had just
enough
fuel for re-entry and minor course adjustments, could follow this path
all the way
back home.

There is no "ridge of equal gravity". As 1.) shows, there is only a
single "zero-gravity" point. I think you have mis-remembered the article
content. It does not jog anything in my memory :)

Bob



Bob Sciamanda (W3NLV)
Physics, Edinboro Univ of PA (em)
trebor@velocity.net
http://www.velocity.net/~trebor

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dwight K. Souder" <crvhs_dks@CRESTVIEW-RICHLAND.K12.OH.US>
To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
Sent: Monday, January 08, 2001 10:46 AM
Subject: equal gravity


I'm wondering if anyone can help me. I've lost the name and formula
for a
concept dealing with gravity. The formula I'm looking for is how to
find the
location between two masses at a fixed position where the gravity is
equal. At
this location, since the pull of gravity are equal between the two
masses, a third
"massless" object would experience "weightlessness".
The other thing I'm looking for is an article related to the above
concept.
Someone had determined how they could "ride" this ridge of equal gravity
from one
location to another. The analogy they gave was a spaceman, who had just
enough
fuel for re-entry and minor course adjustments, could follow this path
all the way
back home. It's similar to the "sling-shot" method they use to put
probes into
space. I'm trying to find the article again and the author.
If anyone has any info, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thank you for
your help!

Happy New Year,
Dwight
Ashland, OH