How high do you need to be to weigh 69.7 percent of your surface weight?

AI Thread Summary
To determine how high above Earth's surface one would weigh 69.7 percent of their surface weight, the correct approach involves calculating the radius where gravitational acceleration is 0.697 times the standard gravitational acceleration (approximately 9.81 m/s²). The initial calculations presented were incorrect due to misunderstanding the relationship between weight and gravitational force at different heights. It is crucial to find the new radius and then subtract Earth's radius to find the height above the surface. The gravitational constant and Earth's mass are not necessary for this ratio-based calculation, as they cancel out. The focus should be on the correct application of gravitational principles to solve the problem accurately.
shabut NAA
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
How far above the surface of Earth would you weigh 69.7 percent of your surface weight?

This is the work I've done but something isn't right and I'm not getting the right answer:

69.7(9.8)=6.67x10^-11(5.98x10^24)/r^2 = 683.06 = 3.98x10^14/r^2

r= 763329.61m (Incorrect)

someone please help me??
 
Physics news on Phys.org
shabut NAA said:
How far above the surface of Earth would you weigh 69.7 percent of your surface weight?

This is the work I've done but something isn't right and I'm not getting the right answer:

69.7(9.8)=6.67x10^-11(5.98x10^24)/r^2 = 683.06 = 3.98x10^14/r^2

r= 763329.61m (Incorrect)

someone please help me??

\vec{w}_0=m\vec{g} and \vec{w}=0.697m\vec{g}. Mass remains constant so what's your \Delta\vec{g} and how does this relate with your system?
 
Not really sure what g you're referring to, but I can give you the Gravitational Constant and the mass of earth:

Gravitational Constant= 6.67x10-11
Mass of Earth= 5.98x1024
 
shabut NAA said:
Not really sure what g you're referring to, but I can give you the Gravitational Constant and the mass of earth:

Gravitational Constant= 6.67x10-11
Mass of Earth= 5.98x1024

There you go. And the radius of the Earth; that'll give you your \vec{g} at positions near the surface of the Earth. You'll want to compare this with those radii which make your weight--your mass times the gravitational force acting upon you--0.697 what it is at the surface.
 
shabut NAA said:
How far above the surface of Earth would you weigh 69.7 percent of your surface weight?

This is the work I've done but something isn't right and I'm not getting the right answer:

69.7(9.8)=6.67x10^-11(5.98x10^24)/r^2 = 683.06 = 3.98x10^14/r^2

r= 763329.61m (Incorrect)

someone please help me??

First of all, you multlplied g (=9.81 m/s^2) by 69.7: but what you need is the radius where the acceleration is 0.697 times g.

Second, once you have found r, you have to subtract the radius of Earth: the question asks "how far from the surface of Earth".
 
And if I may add a third hint: you don't have to know G or M (mass of Earth) to answer this question: those quantities drop out. The ratio of weights at different heights only depends on the ratio of r's.
 
Thread 'Collision of a bullet on a rod-string system: query'
In this question, I have a question. I am NOT trying to solve it, but it is just a conceptual question. Consider the point on the rod, which connects the string and the rod. My question: just before and after the collision, is ANGULAR momentum CONSERVED about this point? Lets call the point which connects the string and rod as P. Why am I asking this? : it is clear from the scenario that the point of concern, which connects the string and the rod, moves in a circular path due to the string...
Back
Top