Finding the mass of the moon from density and diameter

  • Thread starter Thread starter R.J.
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Mass Physics
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
4 replies · 2K views
R.J.
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
First of all ... GREAT SITE!
:smile:

I really stink horribly at physics and I am stuck on the following problem:
How do you find the mass of the moon from the following information:
Density: 3.36g/cm2
Diameter: 2160 Miles

I am figuring that the diameter should be 1/2 to 1080 to obtain the radius.
Then I tried using the formula
4/3 x 3.14 x r^3
To obtain volume. But it is there that I am stuck.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
RJ
 
Physics news on Phys.org
First of all, isn't the density supposed to be in cubic centimeters? Also, make sure you convert everything to meters, otherwise your equations might not work.
 
Yes, I typed incorrectly. It should have been cm3.

Any help on a formula?
 
What're you stuck with? You just plug in 1080 miles into the formula for r.

I would suggest first converting miles to meters or to cm, so that you have common units.

--J
 
Look at the units of density 3.36g/cm^3. What are grams the units of? What are centimetres the units of?? Now density is given by the ratio of these two quantities right??
Since you know the density, and the volume, you can now find the mass

OH and convert your miles and centimetres to metres and grams to kilograms