Question

3. The largest asteroid in the solar system is 1 Ceres. It has a mass of 9.3835
x 1020 kg and a radius of 4.7 x 10 meters. What is the acceleration due to
gravity on Ceres 12

Answer 1

Answer:

2.8351×10^7 N/kg

Explanation:

We know that,

W = mg -------(1)

where W = weight, m = mass, g = gravitational acceleration

Also from Newton's law of gravitation we know that,

F = GMm/r²

Where,

F = gravitational force,

G = universal gravitational constant

M,m = masses of object under gravitational influence

r = distance between the two center of masses.

Here we get

F = (Gm/r²)M -------(2)

From 1 and 2

The acceleration due to gravity = gravitational field intensity

So if you consider the gravitational field intensity at the surface of the asteroid,it is equal to the acceleration due to gravity at the same place.

So we get,

g = (6.67×10^-11)×9.3835×10^20/(47²) = 2.8351×10^7 N/kg