Chapter 8, Problem 14P

The Xanthar mothership locks onto an enemy cruiser with its tractor beam (Fig. P8.14); each ship is at rest in deep space with no propulsion following a devastating battle. The mothership is at x = 0 when its tractor beams are first engaged, a distance d = 215 xiles from the cruiser. Determine the x-position in xiles of the two spacecraft when the tractor beam has pulled them together. Model each spacecraft as a point particle with the mothership of mass M = 185 xons and the cruiser of mass m = 20.0 xons.

Figure P8.14