Answer to Question #169591 in Classical Mechanics for Rohan

Question

Particles A and B exert forces on each other which are attractive in nature and the magnitude depends only on the separation between them. The masses of A and B are M and 8M. To get the motion of A with respect to B, one has to use reduced mass M_A and to get the motion of B with respect to A, one has to use the reduced mass M_B.

(a) M_A> M_B

(b) M_A <M_B

(c) M_A = M_B

(d) M_A < M

(e) M_A < 8M

Answer 1

The reduced mass is always less than each of the masses,

no (a) M_A> M_B

no (b) M_A <M_B

no (c) M_A = M_B

yes (d) M_A < M

no (e) M_A < 8M