Question: An object lying on Earth’s equator is accelerated (a) toward the center of Earth because Earth rotates, (b) toward the Sun because Earth revolves around the Sun in an almost circular orbit, and (c) toward the center of our galaxy because the Sun moves around the galactic center. For the latter, the period is 2.5×108yand the radius isrole="math" localid="1663148507355" 2.2×1020m. Calculate these three accelerations as multiples ofg=9.8m/s2.

Short Answer

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Answer:

(a) Acceleration of an object lying on earth’s equator toward the center of earth isa=3.4×10-3g

(b) Acceleration of an object lying on earth’s equator toward the Sun,a=6.1×10-4g

(c) Acceleration of an object lying on earth’s equator toward the center of galaxy isa=1.4×10-11g

Step by step solution

01

Identification of given data

The period of earth rotation,

T=24year=86400s

The radius of earth,r=6.37×106m

The period of earth’s revolution around the sun,

T=365days=3.16×107s

The radius of earth revolution,r=1.5×1011m

The period for rotation around center of galaxy,

T=2.5×108y=7.9×1015s

The radius of rotation around center of galaxy,r=2.2×1020m

02

Significance of centripetal acceleration 

It is radially directed acceleration with a magnitude equal to the square of the speed of the body along the curve is divided by the total distance from the centre of the circle to the moving body. Inserting the velocity in terms of T in the formula for centripetal acceleration, we can find the acceleration of an object lying on Earth’s equator toward the center of earth, Sun and center of the galaxy toward earth’s center.

Formula:

V=2πrTa=V2r

Where, V is the velocity of object,T is the time period of object and r is the radius of object

03

(a) Determining the acceleration of an object lying on earth’s equator toward the center of earth

We have the equation for velocity and period as

V=2πrT

Hence, the centripetal acceleration may be written as

a=V2ra=4π2rT2

To express the result in terms of g, we divide by 9.8 m/s2 .

The acceleration associated with Earth’s spin is

a=4π2×6.37×106m(86400s)2×9.8m/s2ga=3.4×10-3g

04

(b) Determining the acceleration of an object lying on earth’s equator toward the Sun 

The acceleration due to revolution around the Sun is

a=4π2×1.5×1011m3.16×107s2×9.8m/s2ga=6.1×10-4g

05

(c) Determining the acceleration of an object lying on earth’s equator toward the center of galaxy

The acceleration toward the center of galaxy is

a=4π2×2.2×1020m7.9×1015s2×9.8m/s2ga=1.4×10-11g

Acceleration of an object lying on earth’s equator toward the center of galaxy isa=1.4×10-11g

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