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Two particles of equal mass go around a circle of radius R under the action of their mutual gravitational attraction. The speed v of each particle is

Asked in NEET 1995 · Mutual gravitation and binary systems

Answer: (1) 1/2√(Gm)/R

Step-by-step solution

Each particle moves on a circle of radius R, so the two are a distance 2R apart.

Their mutual attraction supplies the centripetal force: (Gm²)/((2R)²)=(mv²)/R.

(Gm)/(4R²)=(v²)/R, so v²=(Gm)/(4R).

v=1/2√(Gm)/R.

Why the other options are wrong

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