Physics (10th Edition)

Published by Wiley
ISBN 10: 1118486897
ISBN 13: 978-1-11848-689-4

Chapter 4 - Forces and Newton's Laws of Motion - Problems - Page 114: 21

Answer

(a) The acceleration due to gravity on Mars is $3.75m/s^2$. (b) A 65-kg person would weigh $243.75N$ on Mars.

Work Step by Step

The gravitational force on an object with mass $m$ by a planet with mass $M$ and radius $r$ has the formula $$F=G\frac{Mm}{r^2}$$ where the acceleration due to gravity can be found by $$a=G\frac{M}{r^2}$$ (a) We have $G=6.67\times10^{-11}Nm^2/kg^2$, $M_{Mars}=6.46\times10^{23}kg$ and $r_{Mars}=3.39\times10^6m$ $$a=G\frac{M_{Mars}}{r_{Mars}^2}=3.75m/s^2$$ (b) Mass of person $m_p=65kg$. The weight of the person is $$W=m_p\times a=65\times3.75=243.75N$$
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