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View Full Version : HW Question, very simple. mass/gravity


ek378996
Feb4-08, 07:45 PM
If a planet is 1/2 of earth, gravitational is the same of earth, what does that tell you about the mass?

rock.freak667
Feb4-08, 07:49 PM
If a planet is 1/2 of earth

half the size?

anyhow...What is mass affected by?

ek378996
Feb4-08, 07:59 PM
yes, half the size. Nothing, just trying to find out if the mass of the planets is 2 or 4 times larger/smaller than earth.

basically if a planet is half the size of the earth, and gravitation is the same as earth, what would the planets mass have to be? 2 or 4 times larger than earth?

nikkor180
Mar21-09, 02:04 AM
Greetings:

If acceleration due to gravity is equal for both the Earth and another planet, then,

Gme / re2 = Gmp / rp2.
==> me = (re / rp)2 mp
==> me = (2rp / rp)2 (given re = 2rp)
==> me = 4mp

Regards,

Rich B.
rmath4u2@aol.com