Forces & Fields: Calculate Earth's Acceleration, Net Force

[natural]

Homework Statement

Forces & Fields
Calculate the acceleration of the Earth in its orbit around the sun and the net force exerted on the Earth.what exerts this force on the earth? Assume that the Earth's Orbit is a circle of radius 1.49*10^11m.

Homework Equations

g=GMm/r2
1 year=3.16*10^7
mass of the Earth = 5.98*10^24kg
radius of the Earth = 6.37*10^6m.

The Attempt at a Solution

I was approaching the question by using the equ. v2(v squared)/r.
but velocity is unknown and the distance between the sun and the earth.

 

[Ja4Coltrane]

It's easy to find the speed--it's just distance per unit time.

 

[Astronuc]

Consider that the magnitude of average velocity (i.e. speed) can be taken as the quotient of distance traveled (orbital circumference) divided by the time (orbital period).

 

[natural]

But neither the radius or the diameter was was given :| i wa thinking along that line but we don't have that information. is there any other way or is that the only way?

 

[hage567]

In your question you wrote:

"Assume that the Earth's Orbit is a circle of radius 1.49*10^11m."

That's your distance between the sun and the earth.

 

[natural]

oooooh wow it was right infront of me thanks hage567