Comparing Gravity on Different Planets Using a Pendulum

  • Thread starter Thread starter brayrbob
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Pendulum Planets
AI Thread Summary
An astronaut measures the period of a 50 cm pendulum on two different planets, recording 2 seconds on planet x and 1.5 seconds on planet y. Calculations show that the gravitational acceleration on planet x is approximately 493.48 cm/s², while planet y has a significantly higher gravity of about 877.30 cm/s². Therefore, planet y has the largest gravity. The values of gravity are confirmed based on the pendulum's oscillation periods. The discussion concludes that the calculated gravity values are accurate for each planet.
brayrbob
Messages
24
Reaction score
0
Here is my problem that I have partly solved.

An astronaut visits planet x. She takes out a 50 cm pendulum and records a period of oscillation of 2 seconds. Then the astronaut visits planet y, takes out the same pendulum and records a period of oscillation of 1.5 seconds. Which planet has the largest gravity? What is the value of gravity on that planet?

g = 4pi^2(50)/2^2 = 493.4802201 for planet x
g = 4pi^2(50)/1.5^2 = 877.298169 for planet y
planet y has the largest gravity
Now I'm not sure how to find the value of gravity for planet y.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
brayrbob said:
Here is my problem that I have partly solved.

An astronaut visits planet x. She takes out a 50 cm pendulum and records a period of oscillation of 2 seconds. Then the astronaut visits planet y, takes out the same pendulum and records a period of oscillation of 1.5 seconds. Which planet has the largest gravity? What is the value of gravity on that planet?

g = 4pi^2(50)/2^2 = 493.4802201 for planet x
g = 4pi^2(50)/1.5^2 = 877.298169 for planet y
planet y has the largest gravity
Now I'm not sure how to find the value of gravity for planet y.
you've already calculated the gravity "g" for both planets.

(note: to obtain g in mks units, recalulate values using pendulum length of 0.5 meters instead of 50 cm.)
 
So the gravity for the planets is the vaule of gravity?
planet y has the vaule of gravity of g= 877.29cm/s^2
 
brayrbob said:
So the gravity for the planets is the vaule of gravity?
planet y has the vaule of gravity of g= 877.29cm/s^2
yes (at the location of the pendulum)
 
TL;DR Summary: I came across this question from a Sri Lankan A-level textbook. Question - An ice cube with a length of 10 cm is immersed in water at 0 °C. An observer observes the ice cube from the water, and it seems to be 7.75 cm long. If the refractive index of water is 4/3, find the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. I could not understand how the apparent height of the ice cube in the water depends on the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. Does anyone have an...
Thread 'Variable mass system : water sprayed into a moving container'
Starting with the mass considerations #m(t)# is mass of water #M_{c}# mass of container and #M(t)# mass of total system $$M(t) = M_{C} + m(t)$$ $$\Rightarrow \frac{dM(t)}{dt} = \frac{dm(t)}{dt}$$ $$P_i = Mv + u \, dm$$ $$P_f = (M + dm)(v + dv)$$ $$\Delta P = M \, dv + (v - u) \, dm$$ $$F = \frac{dP}{dt} = M \frac{dv}{dt} + (v - u) \frac{dm}{dt}$$ $$F = u \frac{dm}{dt} = \rho A u^2$$ from conservation of momentum , the cannon recoils with the same force which it applies. $$\quad \frac{dm}{dt}...
Back
Top