- #1
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Here is an interesting question.
When we make measurements of weight on Earth using a spring scale should we correct for the moon's gravity? The correction would be:
[tex]a_m = a_e\frac{M_m}{M_e}\frac{R_e^2}{d_m^2}[/tex]
where:
[itex]d_m[/itex] = 384,400 km (approximate distance of surface of Earth to centre of moon)
[itex]R_e[/itex] = 6400 km (radius of earth)
[itex]M_m[/itex] = 5.98E24 kg (mass of moon)
[itex]M_m[/itex] = 7.35E22 kg. (mass of earth)
[itex]a_m[/itex] = acceleration due to moon gravity on surface of earth
[itex]a_e[/itex] = acceleration due to Earth gravity on surface of earth
The correction (about g/293000 = 3.4 E-6g) would be subtracted when your location on the Earth is facing away from the moon and added when your location is facing toward the moon. Or would it?
AM
When we make measurements of weight on Earth using a spring scale should we correct for the moon's gravity? The correction would be:
[tex]a_m = a_e\frac{M_m}{M_e}\frac{R_e^2}{d_m^2}[/tex]
where:
[itex]d_m[/itex] = 384,400 km (approximate distance of surface of Earth to centre of moon)
[itex]R_e[/itex] = 6400 km (radius of earth)
[itex]M_m[/itex] = 5.98E24 kg (mass of moon)
[itex]M_m[/itex] = 7.35E22 kg. (mass of earth)
[itex]a_m[/itex] = acceleration due to moon gravity on surface of earth
[itex]a_e[/itex] = acceleration due to Earth gravity on surface of earth
The correction (about g/293000 = 3.4 E-6g) would be subtracted when your location on the Earth is facing away from the moon and added when your location is facing toward the moon. Or would it?
AM