A spherical planet has a mass Mp and diameter Dp. A particle of mass m falling freely near the surface of this planet will experience acceleration due to gravity equal to:
A
Dp24GMpm
B
Dp24GMp
C
Dp2GMpm
D
Dp2GMp
Step-by-Step Solution
Formula for Acceleration Due to Gravity: The acceleration due to gravity (g) on the surface of a planet with mass Mp and radius Rp is derived from Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation. The gravitational force on a mass m is F=Rp2GMpm. By Newton's second law, force F=mg. Therefore, the acceleration is g=mF=Rp2GMp [Equation 7.9].
Substitute Diameter: The problem provides the diameter Dp. The radius is half the diameter: Rp=2Dp.
Calculation: Substitute Rp into the equation for g:
g=(Dp/2)2GMp=Dp2/4GMp=Dp24GMp
Note that acceleration due to gravity is independent of the mass of the falling particle (m).
Practice Mode Available
Master this Topic on Sushrut
Join thousands of students and practice with AI-generated mock tests.