Halliday, Resnick & Walker — Gravitation: Problem Problem_42

Figure 13.26a shows a particle A that can be 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 13.26b 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 \( -2.7 \times 10^{-11} \text{ J} \) as \( y \rightarrow \infty \). What are the masses of (a) particles B and C and (b) particle A?