Calculating the Ratio of Moon and Earth Density | Gravitational Problem Solution

  • Thread starter Thread starter nns91
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Gravitational
AI Thread Summary
To calculate the ratio of the average density of the Moon to that of the Earth, the mass of the Moon must first be determined. The acceleration due to gravity on the Moon is 1.62 m/s², while on Earth it is 9.81 m/s². Using Newton's law of gravity, the relationship between gravitational force, mass, and radius can be applied, but the user is unsure how to proceed without knowing certain variables. The discussion emphasizes the need to express the gravitational force and mass in relation to the given radii and gravitational accelerations. Ultimately, the solution requires calculating the Moon's mass to find its density ratio compared to Earth's.
nns91
Messages
301
Reaction score
1

Homework Statement



The mass of the Earth is 5.98*10^24 kg and its radius is 6370 km. The radius of the moon is 1738 km. The acceleration of gravity at the surface of the moon is 1.62 m/s^2. What is the ratio of the average density of the moon to that of the Earth ?


Homework Equations



New's law of gravity: F= G*m1*m2/r^2

The Attempt at a Solution



I understand that I need to find mass of the moon to get its density. How should I calculate the mass of the moon ??
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Assume a 1 kg test mass and write a statement about what is true at the surface of the Earth and a similar statement for the same 1 kg mass at the surface of the moon.
 
On the Earth it will have the weight of 9.81 N and on the moon its weight going to be 1.62 N. Is that what you are talking about ?
 
Can I use Newton's Law of Gravity here ? But I don't know either F or r and one of the m though
 
Kindly see the attached pdf. My attempt to solve it, is in it. I'm wondering if my solution is right. My idea is this: At any point of time, the ball may be assumed to be at an incline which is at an angle of θ(kindly see both the pics in the pdf file). The value of θ will continuously change and so will the value of friction. I'm not able to figure out, why my solution is wrong, if it is wrong .
TL;DR Summary: I came across this question from a Sri Lankan A-level textbook. Question - An ice cube with a length of 10 cm is immersed in water at 0 °C. An observer observes the ice cube from the water, and it seems to be 7.75 cm long. If the refractive index of water is 4/3, find the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. I could not understand how the apparent height of the ice cube in the water depends on the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. Does anyone have an...
Back
Top