Chapter 12, Problem 65P

An interstellar spacecraft from an advanced civilization is hovering above Earth, as shown in Fig. 12.35. The ship consists of two pods of mass m separated by a rigid shaft of negligible mass and one Earth radius (R_E) long. Find (a) the magnitude and direction of the net gravitational force on the ship and (b) the net torque about the center of mass, (c) Show that the ship's center of gravity is displaced approximately 0.083 R_E from its center of mass.

FIGURE 12.35 Problem 59