Find acceleration on planet x given mass, time, height.

In summary, a hypothetical situation is presented where the person is an astronaut chosen by NASA for an intergalactic mission. They land on an unknown planet and need to calculate the acceleration due to gravity using the formula v=delta_h/delta_t. The attempt at a solution involves calculating the average velocity of a falling toolbox, but further calculations are needed to find the acceleration due to gravity on the planet.
  • #1
chuck_stone
1
0

Homework Statement



It’s your lucky day! You have been chosen by NASA to be the astronaut for its first
intergalactic expedition. In your excitement for the mission, however, you forgot to read
the road map and you have no idea where your spacecraft landed. Your intimate
knowledge of physics will save the day since you have a detailed database of the
acceleration due to gravity for all known planets in the universe. Stepping out of your
Mark 98-Q Ultratrav ion-drive spacecraft , you drop a 10 kg tool box from a 2 m height
and note that it takes 1.4 seconds to reach the ground. What is the acceleration due to
gravity on this planet?

Homework Equations



v=delta_h/delta_t

The Attempt at a Solution



I used v=(h_0-h_f)/(delta_t), got v=1.43 m/s. I'm not sure how to proceed from here.
 
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  • #2
If I asked you to calculate how long it takes for a toolbox on Earth to fall 2m could you come up with the right time?

Write down that formula here and you are on your way to solving this problem.
 
  • #3
you are given distance and time, you are asked to find acceleration. Therefore, you should use gailleos equation
 
  • #4
chuck_stone said:

Homework Statement



It’s your lucky day! You have been chosen by NASA to be the astronaut for its first
intergalactic expedition. In your excitement for the mission, however, you forgot to read
the road map and you have no idea where your spacecraft landed. Your intimate
knowledge of physics will save the day since you have a detailed database of the
acceleration due to gravity for all known planets in the universe. Stepping out of your
Mark 98-Q Ultratrav ion-drive spacecraft , you drop a 10 kg tool box from a 2 m height
and note that it takes 1.4 seconds to reach the ground. What is the acceleration due to
gravity on this planet?

Homework Equations



v=delta_h/delta_t

The Attempt at a Solution



I used v=(h_0-h_f)/(delta_t), got v=1.43 m/s. I'm not sure how to proceed from here.
Hello chuck_stone. Welcome to Pf !

What you calculated was the average velocity of the toolbox while it was falling. If it starts from rest, what its velocity the moment before it touches ground?
 
  • #5


I would first gather all the necessary information from the given scenario. I would note the mass of the toolbox (10 kg), the height from which it was dropped (2 m), and the time it took to reach the ground (1.4 seconds).

Next, I would recall the formula for acceleration due to gravity, which is a = g = Δv/Δt. This means that the acceleration due to gravity is equal to the change in velocity (Δv) divided by the change in time (Δt).

Since we know the change in time (Δt) from the given information, we just need to calculate the change in velocity (Δv) in order to find the acceleration due to gravity (g).

To do this, we can use the formula v=gt, where v is the final velocity, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and t is the time.

Plugging in the values we know, we get v = gt = (1.43 m/s) = g(1.4 s). Solving for g, we get an acceleration due to gravity of g = 1.02 m/s^2.

Therefore, the acceleration due to gravity on planet X is 1.02 m/s^2. This information can be used by NASA to help determine the location of the spacecraft and plan for the rest of the intergalactic expedition.
 

1. How do you find the acceleration on planet x?

To find the acceleration on planet x, you will need to use the formula a = (2h)/t², where a is the acceleration in meters per second squared, h is the height in meters, and t is the time in seconds. This formula is derived from the equation of motion, s = ut + 0.5at², where s is the distance, u is the initial velocity, and a is the acceleration. By rearranging this equation, we can solve for acceleration.

2. What information do I need to find the acceleration on planet x?

To find the acceleration on planet x, you will need three pieces of information: the mass of the object, the time it takes to fall, and the height from which it falls. These parameters can be plugged into the formula a = (2h)/t² to calculate the acceleration on planet x.

3. How does the mass of an object affect its acceleration on planet x?

The mass of an object does not affect its acceleration on planet x. According to Newton's second law of motion, the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. However, on different planets, the force of gravity may vary, which will affect the acceleration of an object. But assuming the force of gravity is constant on planet x, the mass of an object will not affect its acceleration.

4. Can the acceleration on planet x be negative?

Yes, the acceleration on planet x can be negative. A negative acceleration means that the object is slowing down. This can happen if the force of gravity is pulling the object in the opposite direction of its initial velocity, or if there are other forces acting on the object that cause it to decelerate.

5. Is the acceleration on planet x the same for all objects?

No, the acceleration on planet x may vary for different objects depending on their mass. According to Newton's second law of motion, the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. So, if two objects with different masses are dropped from the same height, the object with a larger mass will experience a smaller acceleration due to a greater force of gravity acting on it. However, if the mass of the objects is negligible compared to the mass of the planet, then their accelerations will be the same.

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