Final answer:
The force on a 60 kg astronaut outside the International Space Station can be calculated using the formula F = (G * m1 * m2) / r^2, where G is the gravitational constant, m1 is the astronaut's mass, m2 is the space station's mass, and r is the distance between them. With the given values, the force is approximately 0.001 N.
Step-by-step explanation:
Outside the International Space Station, a stationary 60 kg astronaut would experience a force of attraction due to the station's gravitational field. This force is given by the formula F = (G * m1 * m2) / r^2, where G is the gravitational constant (approximately 6.67 × 10^-11 N(m/kg)^2), m1 is the mass of the astronaut, m2 is the mass of the space station, and r is the distance between the astronaut and the center of mass of the space station.
Given that the space station has a mass of approximately 370,000 kg and assuming the astronaut is at a distance of 20 m from the center of mass, we can calculate the force on the astronaut as follows:
F = (6.67 × 10^-11 N(m/kg)^2 * 60 kg * 370,000 kg) / (20 m)^2
Calculating this gives us a force of attraction of approximately 0.001 N on the astronaut.