Calculating gravitational pull on surface for large object

In summary, a large sphere in space with a mass of 1 * 10^28 kg and a radius of 100,000 km will have a gravitational pull of approximately 6.805 times the gravity on Earth's surface, calculated using the formula for relative gravity. The methodology and reasoning used in the calculation appear to be correct.
  • #1
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Homework Statement


A large sphere exists in space, which has a mass of 1 * 10^28 kg
The sphere has a radius of 100,000 km
What will be its gravitational pull (aka: "relative gravity") on its surface in terms of gs (1 "g" being equal to the gravitational pull of the Earth which is 9.807 m/s^2)?

Homework Equations


relative gravity = (gravitational constant * mass of object) / radius^2
gravitational constant = 6.67408 * 10^-11 m^3 kg^-1 s^-2

The Attempt at a Solution


First I multiplied the Gravitational Constant by the object's mass:
(6.67408 * 10^-11 m^3 kg^-1 s^-2) * (1*10^28 kg) = 6.67408 *10^17 m^3 s^-2

Next I squared the radius:
(100,000,000 m)^2 = 1*10^16 m^2

Then I divided the numerator by the denominator:
(6.67408 *10^17 m^3 s^-2) / (1*10^16 m^2) = 66.7408 m s^-2.
This I define as the relative gravity upon the sphere's surface.

Finally, I divided this relative gravity by the Earth's gravity:
(66.7408 m s^-2) / (9.807 m s^-2) = 6.805 "gs"

Thus: the gravitational pull upon this sphere's surface is about 6.805 times the gravity on the Earth's surface.

Is my methodology and/or reasoning correct ladies & gentlemen?
 
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  • #2
Looks fine.
 

Related to Calculating gravitational pull on surface for large object

1. How is gravitational pull calculated on a surface for a large object?

Gravitational pull is calculated using the formula F = GmM/r^2, where G is the gravitational constant (6.67 x 10^-11 Nm^2/kg^2), m is the mass of the object, M is the mass of the larger body it is attracting to, and r is the distance between the two objects.

2. What is the gravitational constant and why is it important in calculating gravitational pull?

The gravitational constant, denoted by G, is a fundamental constant in physics that relates the strength of the gravitational force to the masses and distances of objects in the universe. It is important in calculating gravitational pull because it allows us to quantify and compare the strength of the gravitational force between different objects.

3. Does the size or mass of an object affect its gravitational pull on a surface?

Yes, the mass of an object directly affects its gravitational pull on a surface. The larger the mass of an object, the greater its gravitational pull will be. However, the size of an object does not have a direct effect on its gravitational pull. For example, a small but very dense object may have a greater gravitational pull than a large but less dense object.

4. Is gravitational pull the same on all surfaces of a large object?

No, the gravitational pull on different surfaces of a large object may vary depending on the distance from the center of mass. For example, the gravitational pull at the equator of a planet may be slightly less than the pull at the poles due to the planet's rotation.

5. How does distance affect the gravitational pull on a surface for a large object?

According to the inverse square law, the gravitational pull on a surface decreases as the distance between two objects increases. This means that the further away an object is from another object, the weaker the gravitational pull will be on its surface.

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