Calculating Distance from Earth's Center for 1/10 Gravitational Acceleration

In summary, the distance from the Earth's center to a point outside the Earth where the gravitational acceleration is 1/10 its value at the Earth's surface is approximately 20.2 million meters. This can be found by using the equation r^2= (GM)/(g/10) and simplifying it to r=√(10GM/g), where G is the gravitational constant, M is the mass of the Earth, and g is the acceleration due to gravity at the Earth's surface. The units are in meters due to taking the square root in the final step.
  • #1
mosque
2
0

Homework Statement


What is the distance from the Earth's center to a point outside the Earth where the gravitational acceleration due to the Earth is 1/10 its value at the Earth's surface?

Homework Equations


FG= GmM/r^2
g= Gm/r^2

G=6.67x10^-11 (Nm^2)/kg^2
m(earth)=5.97x10^24 kg
g=9.8m/s^2

The Attempt at a Solution


g=1/10g (earth)
g= Gm/r^2

r^2= (Gm/g)1/10
r^2= (Gm/g)10

Answer: r=2.02x10^7 m^2

Using dimensional analysis I somehow got m^2, but I know the units should be in meters, not meters squared.
My other concern is where I change r^2= (Gm/g)1/10 to r^2= (Gm/g)10

I'm not even sure if it was correct to do that. By changing the multiplication from 1/10 to 10 was the only way I got the right answer. I could maybe post an attachment with a picture of my work if it would help you understand what I did.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
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  • #2
Hi mosque. Welcome to PF!

The acceleration is g/10. So you have ##r^2= \frac{GM}{(g/10)}##

Try simplifying this by multiplying the numerator and denominator by 10.

Note that you had to take a square root to get the answer. What does that do to the units?
 
  • #3
Wow that's so simple. Now I understand what I was doing wrong. Now that I think about it dividing the gravity by 10 is the same as multiplying it by 10, but instead I worked out Gm/g first and then tried to multiply by 1/10.

Also, once I plugged in the number I did take the square root to get the final answer, but I did the dimensional analysis after so I completely forgot to take the square of the meter.

Thank you so much! :)
 

Related to Calculating Distance from Earth's Center for 1/10 Gravitational Acceleration

1. What is the Law of Universal Gravitation?

The Law of Universal Gravitation is a physical law that describes the force of gravity between two objects. It states that every object in the universe attracts every other object with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

2. Who discovered the Law of Universal Gravitation?

The Law of Universal Gravitation was first formulated by Sir Isaac Newton in 1687. He published his findings in his famous work "Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica" (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy).

3. How does the Law of Universal Gravitation affect objects on Earth?

The Law of Universal Gravitation is responsible for the force of gravity that keeps objects on Earth from floating away into space. It also determines the rate at which objects fall towards the Earth's surface.

4. Does the Law of Universal Gravitation apply to all objects in the universe?

Yes, the Law of Universal Gravitation applies to all objects in the universe, regardless of their size, mass, or distance from each other. However, its effects may be more noticeable for larger, more massive objects like planets and stars.

5. Can the Law of Universal Gravitation be proven?

The Law of Universal Gravitation has been extensively tested and has been proven to accurately describe the force of gravity between objects. It is considered a fundamental law of physics and has been used to make accurate predictions and calculations in various fields of science.

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