How to find the acceleration of a random planet

In summary, the mysterious planet pyramid has a circular orbit around its sun with a radius of 1.15e^11 m and a period of 6.34e^7 s. The mass of the planet is 3.06e^25 kg and the mass of its sun is 9.22e^31 kg with a radius of 1.50e^9 m. To find the acceleration due to gravity on the planet's surface, Newton's law of gravity can be used with the formula F=m(v^2/r). The resulting acceleration is 3.45e^22 m/s^2.
  • #1
justinbaker
34
0
here is the question,

the mysterious planet pyramid travels around its sun in a circular orbit. The radius of this planet is 2.69e^7 m and the mass is 3.06e^25 kg . The radius of orbit of pyramid is 1.15e^11 m and the period is 6.34e^7 s . The mass of pyramids sun is 9.22e^31 and the radius of the sun is 1.50e^9 m . What is the acceleration of gravity on pyramid? (m/s^2)


i thought you could use the formula v=(2(pi)r)/T and plug this into F=m(v^2/r) since the only force is gravity towards the sun.

But my answer comes out to be 3.45e^22

this seems a little high, any help? thanks guys
 
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  • #2
You have the mass and the radius of the planet. Use Newton's law of gravity to find the acceleration due to gravity at the planet's surface.
 
  • #3
dont i need to use the period somewhere in this problem?
 
Last edited:
  • #4
justinbaker said:
dont i need to use the period somewhere in this problem?
Not if the problem is to find the acceleration due to gravity on that planet's surface. (Is that the problem?)
 

1. What is the formula for calculating acceleration of a planet?

The formula for calculating acceleration of a planet is a = F/m, where a is the acceleration, F is the force acting on the planet, and m is the mass of the planet.

2. How do you determine the force acting on a planet?

The force acting on a planet can be determined by multiplying the planet's mass by its acceleration due to gravity, which is approximately 9.8 m/s^2 on Earth.

3. How can you measure the mass of a planet?

The mass of a planet can be measured by observing the gravitational pull it exerts on other objects, such as moons or satellites. This can be done using the formula F = G(m1m2)/r^2, where F is the gravitational force, G is the gravitational constant, m1 and m2 are the masses of the two objects, and r is the distance between them.

4. Can the acceleration of a planet change over time?

Yes, the acceleration of a planet can change over time due to factors such as changes in its mass or its distance from other objects with gravitational pull. However, in most cases, the acceleration of a planet remains relatively constant.

5. How does the acceleration of a planet affect its orbit?

The acceleration of a planet affects its orbit by determining the shape and speed of its path around the sun or other celestial body. A higher acceleration will result in a tighter and faster orbit, while a lower acceleration will result in a wider and slower orbit.

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