Could you calculate the mass of the planet?

  • Thread starter Thread starter demode
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Mass Planet
AI Thread Summary
To calculate the mass of a planet using centripetal force, one must know the distance to the planet and the centripetal force acting on it. The equation Fc = (MV^2) / R can be used, but it requires knowledge of velocity and radius, which are not directly provided. A more suitable approach involves applying Newton's law of gravitation, which relates gravitational force to mass and distance. By combining this with the centripetal force equation, one can derive the mass of the planet. Thus, understanding the relationship between gravitational and centripetal forces is crucial for this calculation.
demode
Messages
30
Reaction score
0
1. If you know the distance to a planet and the centripetal force on it, could you calculate the mass of the planet? Explain.
Fc = (MV^2) / (R)

I don't even know where to start; in the equation above, you can only substitute the known centripetal force in, but you can't substitute the distance to a planet or the velocity in.. Is there another equation or expression for centripetal force that would satisfy the two variables in the prompt?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Hint: if you assume the planet is rotating around another one (which you can, since there exists a centripetal force), which is the other force which comes to your mind? (Hint 2: Newton's law of ___________)
 
Thread 'Variable mass system : water sprayed into a moving container'

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}...
View full post »

Similar threads

A planet of mass M and an object of mass m
Replies
6
Views
1K
Calculating Angle & Speed to Reach Planet's Moon from Station Orbit
Replies
1
Views
2K
Calculate magnetic dipole of other planets relative to the Earth
Replies
4
Views
1K
Find g, measured to be 9.78 at the equator, when Earth is still
Replies
17
Views
2K
Calculate the mass of a star and a planet that orbits it
Replies
12
Views
3K
Calculating Tidal Range (Gravitation)
Replies
12
Views
2K
Determine the mass of the planet using Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation
Replies
2
Views
3K
Rearranging gravitational and centripetal equations to derive formulas
Replies
3
Views
3K
Calculating the velocity of a head-on impact between two suns
Replies
6
Views
2K
From circular orbit to elliptical orbit
Replies
3
Views
2K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top