Chapter 13, Problem 42P

GO Figure 13-46a shows a particle A that can he moved along a y axis from an infinite distance to the origin. That origin lies at the midpoint between particles B and C, which have identical masses, and the y axis is a perpendicular bisector between them. Distance D is 0.3057 m. Figure 13-46b shows the potential energy U of the three-particle system as a function of the position of particle A along the y axis. The curve actually extends rightward and approaches an asymptote of −2.7 × 10⁻¹¹ J as y → ∞. What are the masses of (a) particles B and C and (b) particle A?

Figure 13-46 Problem 42.