Thread: Need Help Please

Calculate the force of gravity on earth of an object that has a mass of 200 kg.

Originally Posted by trex

Calculate the force of gravity on earth of an object that has a mass of 200 kg.

Newton's law of universal gravitation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Substitute the values and calculate!!

Originally Posted by trex

Calculate the force of gravity on earth of an object that has a mass of 200 kg.

force = mass times acceleration due to gravity

Mass in kg, acceleration in m/s (~=9.81 m/s) then force is in Newtons

RonL

Originally Posted by CaptainBlack

force = mass times acceleration due to gravity

Mass in kg, acceleration in m/s (~=9.81 m/s) then force is in Newtons

RonL

True close to the surface of the Earth. But unfortunately the question does not give a height above the surface, so such an approximation cannot be assumed ......

Originally Posted by mr fantastic

True close to the surface of the Earth. But unfortunately the question does not give a height above the surface, so such an approximation cannot be assumed ......

"on Earth" indicates at the Earth's surface.

RonL

Originally Posted by CaptainBlack

"on Earth" indicates at the Earth's surface.

RonL

"Calculate the force of gravity on earth of an object that has a mass of 200 kg."

Hmmm..... I read it as calculate the gravitational force of the mass that acts upon the Earth. This force will obviously depend on the distance between Earth and mass.

You read it as calculate the force of gravity of a mass that is at the surface of the Earth. I'm unconvinced. But since height is not given, you're reading of it is probably right. In which case, the wording of the question leaves (for me at least) a lot to be desired.

I'd be interested to see what topsquark makes of it. Calculate the force of gravity of a mass just doesn't do it for me ......