Can Stone Escape an Asteroid's Gravitational Pull?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility of throwing a stone with enough energy to escape an asteroid's gravitational pull. Participants are examining the necessary escape velocity and the parameters involved in the calculations, specifically contrasting the conditions of an asteroid with those of Earth.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are questioning the original poster's use of Earth's mass and radius instead of the asteroid's parameters. There is a focus on calculating the escape velocity specific to the asteroid, with references to its density and volume.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants providing guidance on the need to use the correct parameters for the asteroid. There is an exploration of how to derive the radius of the asteroid based on previous parts of the question, indicating a productive direction in the conversation.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working with given values such as the density of the asteroid and are attempting to derive necessary calculations for escape velocity. There is an acknowledgment of the need to clarify the radius of the asteroid for accurate calculations.

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Homework Statement



Is it possible that you could throw a stone with sufficient energy to cause it to escape the asteroid’s gravitational pull altogether.

Do you think you would be able to throw the stone as fast as this?

Homework Equations



v= squre root of (2GM / R)

where M is mass of the Earth
and
R is the radius of the earth

The Attempt at a Solution



M= 5.98*10^24
R=6.38*10^6
G=6.67*10^-11

after calculation,

v= 11181.966 m/s

this is the speed required...for stone to escape the atmosphere.
So it is not possible.

[is this correct]
 
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Your question asks about throwing a stone "with sufficient energy escape the asteroid’s gravitational pull altogether", but your solution references the Earth's mass and radius. Are you sure you are using the correct mass and radius (the Earth is not an asteroid)?
 
density of asteroid is 4.0 × 10^3 kg m−3 (given in previous part of the quesiton).

desnisty= mass/volume

v= (4/3)*pi*R ^3...need R to calculate V

4.0 × 10^3 kg m−3 * v = m

using m and r of asteroid..i should be able to calculate escapte velocity .

[is this correct method]
 
I would think you should be able to determine the radius of the asteroid based on what you've done in the other parts of this question.
 
Radius calculation

can you explain how you calculated the radius of the asteroid?
cheers
ss
 

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