Earth's Accel.: Is 10^(-22)m/s^2 Correct?

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SUMMARY

The acceleration of Earth due to a 60 kg person free-falling towards it is calculated to be 10-22 m/s2 using the formula F=ma, where M (mass of Earth) is 6 x 1024 kg and g (acceleration due to gravity) is approximated as 10 m/s2. This result, while mathematically correct, raises questions about its physical significance. The discussion suggests that for practical scenarios close to Earth's surface, the gravitational attraction should be evaluated using a different equation that accounts for the distance between the masses.

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Homework Statement
A 60-kg person is free-falling from the sky to Earth. What is the acceleration of the Earth of the mass of the Earth is 6*10^24 kg?
Relevant Equations
F=ma
let a be the acceleration of Earth, m=60kg, M=6*10^24 kg, g=10 m/s^2
Ma=F=mg
=> 6*10^24*a=60*10
=> a=10^(-22) m/s^2
is this correct because the answer is a bit strange?
 
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Oydpuuodouflj6r9 said:
Homework Statement:: A 60-kg person is free-falling from the sky to Earth. What is the acceleration of the Earth of the mass of the Earth is 6*10^24 kg?
Relevant Equations:: F=ma

let a be the acceleration of Earth, m=60kg, M=6*10^24 kg, g=10 m/s^2
Ma=F=mg
=> 6*10^24*a=60*10
=> a=10^(-22) m/s^2
is this correct because the answer is a bit strange?
Welcome to PF. There is another equation that may be more appropriate for this question. Do you know of an equation that gives the gravitational attraction between two masses separated by a distance r (to their centers of mass)?

EDIT -- Although as @PeroK is pointing out below, if the person is falling close to the surface of the Earth, the equation that you used may be valid. Does it say anything about how far away from the surface the person is?
 
Oydpuuodouflj6r9 said:
Homework Statement:: A 60-kg person is free-falling from the sky to Earth. What is the acceleration of the Earth of the mass of the Earth is 6*10^24 kg?
Relevant Equations:: F=ma

let a be the acceleration of Earth, m=60kg, M=6*10^24 kg, g=10 m/s^2
Ma=F=mg
=> 6*10^24*a=60*10
=> a=10^(-22) m/s^2
is this correct because the answer is a bit strange?
What is strange about that?
 
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berkeman said:
Welcome to PF. There is another equation that may be more appropriate for this question. Do you know of an equation that gives the gravitational attraction between two masses separated by a distance r (to their centers of mass)?
I would assume that we can take ##g## to be approximately constant for this problem.
 

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