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How does Newtonian gravitational force depend on two masses?

It is proportional to their product, M1 times M2.

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  1. Their mass difference
  2. Their mass product ✔
  3. Only the larger mass

Why: Newton's law contains both masses multiplied together. Doubling either mass doubles the mutual force if their separation stays fixed.

Huh, didn't know that: The two bodies experience equal-magnitude forces in opposite directions, though their accelerations can differ.

The dad joke
Mass attracts mass, which makes gravity very inclusive.
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References

Answer: Their mass product. Newton's law contains both masses multiplied together. Doubling either mass doubles the mutual force if their separation stays fixed.

  1. Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation openstax.org/books/astronomy-2e/pages/3-3-newtons-universal-law-of-gravitation
    Newton also concluded that the gravitational attraction between two bodies must be proportional to their masses.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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