Gravitational Force: Three Identical Very Small 50-Kg Masses Are Held

Multiple Choice

Gravitational force: Three identical very small 50-kg masses are held at the corners of an equilateral triangle, 0.30 m on each side. If one of the masses is released, what is its initial acceleration if the only forces acting on it are the gravitational forces due to the other two masses? (G = 6.67 × 10^-11 N ∙ m²/kg²)

A) 3.7 × 10^-8 m/s²
B) 2.5 × 10^-8 m/s²
C) 1.9 × 10^-8 m/s²
D) 4.2 × 10^-8 m/s²
E) 6.4 × 10^-8 m/s²