Help calculating mass and escape velocity |
Help calculating mass and escape velocity |
Jan 21 2008, 07:47 PM
Post
#1
|
|
Newbie Group: Members Posts: 5 Joined: 21-January 08 Member No.: 4022 |
If you have a kuiper belt object with say a diameter of 48km and assume a density of 1.5 gm/cm^3, how do you find the mass and escape velocity?
Sorry if this sounds elementary, I am just trying to learn. I think that the surface area would be 7,238km^2 (4pi(r^2)) and that the volume would be 57,905km^3 ((4/3)*pi*r^3). I seem to start getting into trouble solving for the mass (given that density = mass/volume.) Would the mass only be 1.5 * 57,905,000m^3 = 86,857,500m^3 = 86,857.5 kg? What would the escape velocity be? |
|
|
Jan 22 2008, 12:46 AM
Post
#2
|
|
Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1018 Joined: 29-November 05 From: Seattle, WA, USA Member No.: 590 |
Yes, 49 mph is what I got too. Like I said, 55 mph speed limit is way too high for this KBO. :-)
On the other hand, it means astronauts wouldn't have to worry about accidentally jumping off. By the way, let me suggest that you do the experiment of converting the 21.87 m/s into miles/hr using only the (exact) metric to English conversion (1 in/2.54 cm) = 1. I see you got it right in a single step, but I think it'd be worth the practice to do it out. I take 5 or 6 steps to do it. --Greg |
|
|
Lo-Fi Version | Time is now: 18th June 2024 - 07:41 AM |
RULES AND GUIDELINES Please read the Forum Rules and Guidelines before posting. IMAGE COPYRIGHT |
OPINIONS AND MODERATION Opinions expressed on UnmannedSpaceflight.com are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of UnmannedSpaceflight.com or The Planetary Society. The all-volunteer UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderation team is wholly independent of The Planetary Society. The Planetary Society has no influence over decisions made by the UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderators. |
SUPPORT THE FORUM Unmannedspaceflight.com is funded by the Planetary Society. Please consider supporting our work and many other projects by donating to the Society or becoming a member. |