Where is a planet's gravity maximum?

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    Gravity Maximum
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the question of where a planet's gravity is at its maximum, exploring concepts related to gravitational force as one approaches a planet's center. The scope includes theoretical considerations and modeling approaches.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes that as an object approaches a planet, it experiences increasing gravity until it reaches the center, where the net gravity is zero.
  • Another participant suggests that the maximum gravity for Earth is believed to occur at the core/mantle boundary, referencing external sources for support.
  • A different approach is proposed, indicating that modeling Earth's density versus depth and applying Gauss' law could provide insights into the gravity distribution.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the location of maximum gravity, with some suggesting it is at the core/mantle boundary while others propose analytical modeling as a method to explore the question further. No consensus is reached.

Contextual Notes

The discussion does not clarify the assumptions regarding the composition of different planets or the specific models used for gravitational calculations.

rootone
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An object approaching Earth (or any planet) experiences increasing gravity as it gets nearer.
However, If the object could continue until reaching the center it would find itself again in a net zero gravity field.
At what point will it experience the maximum amount of gravity?
 
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One way to get the answer would be to model the Earth's density versus depth analytically and use an equivalent form of Gauss' law.
 
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Thanks guys.
 

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