The gravitational force between the Sun (mass = 1.99 × 1030 kg) and Mercury (mass = 3.30 × 1023 kg) is 8.99 × 1021 N. How far is Mercury from the Sun?

Use Newton’s law of gravitation, F = Gm₁m₂/r², and solve for distance: r = √(Gm₁m₂/F). Substituting the given values gives r ≈ √(4.87 × 10²¹) m ≈ 6.98 × 10¹⁰ m. Converting meters to kilometers gives 6.98 × 10⁷ km, so the answer is B, 6.98 × 10⁷ km.

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