A new planet is discovered beyond Neptune. A tiny moon is discovered to be orbiting it at a constant distance of 5.3x10^8 m from the planet's center, with a period of 1.2x10^7 s. What is the planet's mass? [Use SI ("standard" or "metric") units.]
2006-11-29 04:39:14 · 2 answers · asked by bri 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The attraction of the planet for the moon is given by F = gMm/r^2, which equals the centrifugal force F = mro^2. In these equations, M is the mass of the planet (to be found), g is the universal gravitational constant 6.6742E-11, m is the mass of the moon (cancels out), r is the radius of the moon's orbit (given), and o is the angular velocity of the moon in its orbit (2pi/period). Time to get out the calculator.
2006-11-29 04:53:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look up the formula and do the arithetic.
2006-11-29 12:55:17 · answer #2 · answered by Gene 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋