Gravity on the height of 12740 km ?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Amar
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Gravity Height
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Start your own thread to ask a follow-up.
6 replies · 2K views
Amar
Messages
12
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


So the problem I have is calculating the gravity acceleration on the height of 12740km or 2 times the radial distance of Earth. The problem is relatively simple and I think that I have it right but the result doesn't match with the book.

## g_0=9,81 \frac {m}{s^2} ##
##R=6370km ##
## h=R=6370km ##

Homework Equations


## g = g_0 \frac{R^2}{(R+h)^2} ##

The Attempt at a Solution


Well given that I have everything except ## g ## I could have just put everything in and be done with it. I went with canceling out the symbols and got ## g = \frac {g_0}{2} ## This resulted in 4.905. When calculating everything the result was 2.4525. The result specified in the book is 1,09 m/s^2. I'm really confused :)
 
Physics news on Phys.org
A height is a distance above the Earth's surface. You're given a height of 2R, so the radial distance is 3R...
 
gneill said:
A height is a distance above the Earth's surface. You're given a height of 2R, so the radial distance is 3R...

I must have explained it badly. The height given is 1R

EDIT: The title is wrong, sorry..
 
Amar said:
I must have explained it badly. The height given is 1R
.
That would make the book's answer incorrect...
 
gneill said:
That would make the book's answer incorrect...

But what about the double answer I got ? One is 4.905 the other 2.4525 ? Kinda weird that the the other is 2x smaller than the first :P
 
Amar said:
But what about the double answer I got ? One is 4.905 the other 2.4525 ? Kinda weird that the the other is 2x smaller than the first :P
Can you show your algebraic steps for your attempt by cancellation?
 
Amar said:
But what about the double answer I got ? One is 4.905 the other 2.4525 ? Kinda weird that the the other is 2x smaller than the first :P
Never mind, after another try at the calculation I got that 2.4525 is correct, thanks for the help :)