Universal Gravitation and Local G

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating a person's weight on a different planet using the Universal Law of Gravitation. Given that Max weighs 1000 N on Earth, his weight on a planet with twice the mass of Earth but the same radius can be determined using the formula F = G (m1 m2) / r². By substituting the values, the weight on the new planet can be calculated as 2000 N, since weight is directly proportional to the mass of the planet when the radius remains constant.

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physicalx
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K, so I don't quite understand how I find a persons weight on a different planet using the said person's weight, the mass of the other planet, and the radius of the planet?

So, for example:

Max weighs 1000 N on Earth. What would his weight be on a planet with twice the mass of Earth, but with the same radius?

How would I go about answering this and similar questions? Thanks for your help!
x
 
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physicalx said:
K, so I don't quite understand how I find a persons weight on a different planet using the said person's weight, the mass of the other planet, and the radius of the planet?

So, for example:

Max weighs 1000 N on Earth. What would his weight be on a planet with twice the mass of Earth, but with the same radius?

How would I go about answering this and similar questions? Thanks for your help!
x


Weight is a force, F:

F = G \frac{m_1 m_2}{r^2}

If you have a constant, known m1 and a constant r (like Earth) the equation can be simplified down to:

F = m_2 g

where:

g = \frac{G m_1}{r^2} (basically all the other values in the equation besides m2. m1 was the mass of Earth, so m2 is the so-called "test mass" (you or me, or a ball, for instance).

So look at the first equation. What happens to F when we double m?
 

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