When you drop a 0.36 kg apple, Earth exerts
a force on it that accelerates it at 9.8 m/s
2
toward the earth’s surface. According to Newton’s third law, the apple must exert an equal
but opposite force on Earth.
If the mass of the earth 5.98 × 1024 kg, what
is the magnitude of the earth’s acceleration
toward the apple?
Answer in units of m/s
2
.