Finding distance between Earth and Moon in gravitational fields

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the distance between the Earth and the Moon based on gravitational principles and exploring the effects of gravity on jumping height on a hypothetical planet with different radius but the same density as Earth.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to calculate the distance between the Earth and the Moon using orbital mechanics and gravitational principles. They also explore how jumping height would change on a planet with different radius but the same density, questioning the relationship between gravitational acceleration and radius.

Discussion Status

Participants generally affirm the original poster's work, indicating that the approaches taken are valid. There is a focus on the proportionality of gravitational acceleration to radius for planets of the same density, with some participants elaborating on this relationship.

Contextual Notes

Assumptions include the circular orbit of the Moon and the neglect of the planets' radii in the distance calculation. The discussion also involves the application of gravitational formulas under specific conditions.

Bolter
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Homework Statement
Calculate the distance between 2 masses in a gravitational field

Calculate the height reached when a person jumps on a planet
Relevant Equations
Orbital period
gravitational field strength
Here are 2 questions that I have tried to answer and was hoping if these are right ways to go about it?

Q1) Find the distance in meters (m) between centre of the Moon and the centre of the Earth, assuming that the Moon moves in a circular orbit with a period of 27.5 days. Take the mass of the Earth as 6.0 × 10^24 kg. Assume that the distance between the Earth and the Moon is much larger than the radii of both planets

IMG_3759.JPG


Q2) If a person can jump a vertical height of 1.3 m on the Earth, how high could he jump (applying the same effort as on the Earth) on a planet with the same density as the Earth, but only half the radius.

IMG_3751.JPG


IMG_3752.JPG


Any help would be appreciated! Thanks
 
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Your work looks good to me.
 
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gneill said:
Your work looks good to me.

Ok thank you so much
 
Looks good to me, too. Note that once you have the expression ##g = \frac{4}{3}G \pi \rho R## you can see that ##g## is just proportional to ##R## for fixed ##\rho##. So, you can see ##g_2## will be half of ##g_1##.
 
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TSny said:
Looks good to me, too. Note that once you have the expression ##g = \frac{4}{3}G \pi \rho R## you can see that ##g## is just proportional to ##R## for fixed ##\rho##. So, you can see ##g_2## will be half of ##g_1##.

Ah yes I can see this relationship, much easier to use the proportionality relationship then to identify how much bigger or smaller g1 will be to g
 
Bolter said:
Ah yes I can see this relationship, much easier to use the proportionality relationship then to identify how much bigger or smaller g1 will be to g
You are learning to think like a physicist. :oldsmile:
 

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