Zero Gravity Planet

Chris Harding
April 2018

1 Problem Statement
The center of two spherical planets of masses m1 and m2 are separated by a
distance d. Consider the origin of the coordinate system to be at the center of
planet 1. At what location x measured from the center of planet 1 will a third
planet of mass m experience zero gravitational force?
Express your answer in terms of the gravitational constant G, m1 , m2 , and
d as needed.

2 Free Body Diagram

F1m F2m
m1 m m2

x=0 x x=d,
î ⇒

3 Solution
First, I had to figure out that the gravity free planet would be positioned between
the other two planets.
If the planet , m, was on the left side of m1 or the right side of m2 , there
would be two forces pointing towards the center of planets m1 and m2 . As such,
the forces would not cancel out and give a gravity free planet.
Gm2 m Gm1 m
F2m − F1m = 0 → F2m = F1m → 2
= (1)
(d − x) x2

m2 · x2 = m1 · (d − x)2 (2)

1
 m2 x2 = m1 (d2 − 2dx + x2 ) (3)

m2 x2 = m1 x2 − 2m1 dx − m1 d2 → (m1 − m2 )x2 − 2m1 dx − m1 d2 (4)

Now, I realize that the equation is quadratic and in the form of

ax2 + bx + c = 0 (5)
So, I can use
√
−b ± b2 − 4ac
x= (6)
2a
where

a = (m1 − m2 ); b = 2m1 d; c = m1 d2 (7)

p
−(−2m1 d) ± (2m1 d)2 − 4(m1 − m2 )(m1 d2 )
x= (8)
2(m1 − m2 )
p
2m1 d ± (4m21 d2 ) − 4m21 d2 + 4m2 m1 d2
x= (9)
2(m1 − m2 )

√ √ √
2m1 d ± 4m2 m1 d2 2m1 d ± 2d m1 m2 d(m1 ± m1 m2 )
x= → → (10)
2(m1 − m2 ) 2(m1 − m2 ) (m1 − m2 )

Remember,

0≤x≤d (11)
need
√
m1 ± m1 m2
<1 (12)
(m1 − m2 )
and that happens when ± is ”-”. So, the final answer is
√
d(m1 − m1 m2 )
x= (13)
(m1 − m2 )