Gravitation: Calculating Accel. Due to Gravity at 1.43x10^8 m

In summary, in this conversation, the question was asked about the magnitude of acceleration due to gravity for a satellite placed in a circular orbit 1.43 × 10^8 m above the surface of the earth. The attempted solution involved using the formula G*mE/r^2, but the value of r was misinterpreted as the distance from the surface of the earth instead of the distance from the center of the earth. After correcting for this, the correct answer was found to be approximately .0179m/s^2.
  • #1
gjax21
3
0

Homework Statement



1.A satellites are placed in a circular orbit that is 1.43 × 10^8 m above the surface of the earth. What is the magnitude of the acceleration due to gravity at this distance

Homework Equations



1.I used G*mE/r^2

The Attempt at a Solution



1. Got an answer of .0195m/s^2 I think I get this and have no idea why it is wrong.
 
Last edited:
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  • #2
What values did you use for G, mE, and r?
 
  • #3
Is the satellite [tex]1.43\cdot 10^8 m[/tex] above the surface of the earth, or [tex]1.43\cdot 108 m[/tex] above the surface of the earth?

Using the former, I got a result only slightly different from yours. Remember that the [tex]r[/tex] in that formula is the distance between the center of the Earth and the satellite, not from the surface of the Earth and the satellite.
 
  • #4
O thax I didn't realize it was saying above the surface. I meant 1.43x10^8. :)

using 6.674E-11 for G

Mof earth= 5.98E24

r=149380000

I get an answer of .0179, does that check out?
 
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  • #5
Got it thax
 

1. What is gravitation?

Gravitation is the natural phenomenon by which all objects with mass are brought toward one another. It is the force that governs the motion of celestial bodies in space and is responsible for keeping planets in orbit around the sun.

2. How is the acceleration due to gravity calculated?

The acceleration due to gravity is calculated using the formula a = GM/r^2, where G is the gravitational constant, M is the mass of the larger object, and r is the distance between the two objects. In this case, the larger object is the Earth and the distance is 1.43x10^8 m.

3. What is the value of the gravitational constant (G)?

The gravitational constant (G) is a fundamental constant in physics that is approximately equal to 6.67x10^-11 Nm^2/kg^2. It is used in the calculation of the force of gravity between two objects.

4. How does the acceleration due to gravity change with distance?

The acceleration due to gravity decreases as the distance between two objects increases. This is because the force of gravity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between two objects. Therefore, the farther apart the objects are, the weaker the force of gravity between them.

5. Why is the acceleration due to gravity different on different planets?

The acceleration due to gravity is different on different planets due to their varying mass and radius. The larger the mass and radius of a planet, the stronger the force of gravity and therefore, the higher the acceleration due to gravity. For example, the acceleration due to gravity on Earth is 9.8 m/s^2, while on Mars it is only 3.7 m/s^2.

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