Change in gravity due to oil deposit

In summary, a mining company has discovered that gravity is 2 parts in 10^7 less over a certain area and is estimating the mass of an oil deposit 3000m below. By subtracting the acceleration due to gravity from the oil deposit from the total acceleration due to gravity, the mass of the oil deposit can be calculated as 2.697e+10 kg. However, this result may be incorrect as the 2 parts in 10^7 may be a relative measurement. Further guidance is needed to determine the correct mass of the oil deposit.
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Homework Statement


"A mining company finds gravity is 2 parts in 10^7 less over a certain area. Assume there is an oil deposit 3000m below. Take the density of rock to be 3000 kg/m^3, and the density of oil to be 1000 kg/m^3. Estimate the mass of the deposit, assumed spherical."

Homework Equations


$$F_g = \frac{Gm_1m_2}{r^2}$$

The Attempt at a Solution


I remember my professor mentioning in class that the oil deposit's mass can be treated as negative. Thus when the acceleration due to gravity from the oil deposit was subtracted from the total acceleration due to gravity, this would be the same as measured gravity. Thus: $$\frac{Gm_{earth}}{r_{earth}^2}-\frac{Gm_{oil}}{r_{toOil}^2}=\frac{Gm_{earth}}{r_{earth}^2}-\frac{2}{{10}^{7}}$$

where ##r_{toOil}## is the radius between the surface of the Earth and the oil (3000m). This simplifies to: $$\frac{Gm_{oil}}{r_{toOil}^2}=\frac{2}{{10}^{7}}$$

And when I plugged in the numbers I got the result that the mass of the oil was 2.697e+10 kg, which was wrong. I have no clue where to go from here. Any guidance would be enormously appreciated.
 
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  • #2
2 parts in 107 is probably relative:$$
\frac{Gm_{earth}}{r_{earth}^2}-\frac{Gm_{oil}}{r_{toOil}^2}=\frac{Gm_{earth}}{r_{earth}^2}\left ( 1-\frac{2}{{10}^{7}} \right ) $$
 

1. How does an oil deposit affect gravity?

An oil deposit can cause a change in gravity due to its mass. The more mass an object has, the stronger its gravitational pull. This increase in mass can lead to a slight decrease in the force of gravity in the surrounding area, as the oil deposit is pulling on nearby objects with its own gravitational force.

2. Is the change in gravity significant?

The change in gravity due to an oil deposit is usually very small and not noticeable to humans. It would only be measurable with extremely sensitive equipment.

3. Can the change in gravity be used to detect oil deposits?

Yes, the change in gravity can be used as one method to detect the presence of oil deposits. By using specialized equipment, scientists can measure the small changes in gravity to identify areas with potentially high concentrations of oil.

4. Does the depth of the oil deposit affect the change in gravity?

Yes, the depth of the oil deposit can impact the magnitude of the change in gravity. The closer the oil deposit is to the surface, the more significant the change in gravity will be.

5. How long does the change in gravity last once the oil deposit is removed?

The change in gravity due to an oil deposit will only last as long as the deposit remains in the area. Once the oil is extracted or moves to a different location, the change in gravity will return to its previous state.

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