With what speed would mail pass through the center of Earth if falling in a tunnel through the center?

Short Answer

Expert verified

Answer:

The speed of the mailpass through the center of Earth if falling in a tunnel through the centeris7.9×106m/s

Step by step solution

01

Listing the given quantities

Radius of the Earth R

02

Understanding the concept of the gravitational acceleration

Here,we apply the work-energy theorem to the object in question. It starts from a point at the surface of the Earth with zero initial speed and arrives at the center of the Earth with final speed The corresponding increase in its kinetic energy, is equal to the work done on it by Earth's gravity

Formula:

KE=12mvf2

03

Calculation of the gravitational acceleration of a particle at points from the center of the planet 

Fdr=(-Kr)drThus,

12mvf2=Fdr=(-Kr)dr

where R is the radius of Earth. Solving for the final speed, we obtainvf=RKm.

ag=g=9.8m/s2on the surfaface of the earth

ag=GMR2=G(4πR33)ρR2,

Whereρ is Earth's average density.

Km=4πGρ3=gR

vf=RKm=RgR=gR=(9.8m/s2)(6.37×106m)

7.9×106m/s

The speed of the mailpass through the center of Earth if falling in a tunnel through the center is7.9×106m/s

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Question: In a shuttle craft of mass m = 3.00 kg , Captain Janeway orbits a planet of mass M=9.50×1025kg , in a circular orbit of radiusr=4.20×107m .What are (a) the period of the orbit and (b) the speed of the shuttle craft? Janeway briefly fires a forward pointing thruster, reducing her speeds by 2.00%. Just then, what are (c) the speed, (d) the kinetic energy, (e) the gravitational potential energy, and (f) the mechanical energy of the shuttle craft? (g) What is the semi major axis of the elliptical orbit now taken by the craft? (h)What is the difference between the period of the original circular orbit and that of the new elliptical orbit? (i) Which orbit has the smaller period?

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We watch two identical astronomical bodies Aand B, each of mass m, fall toward each other from rest because of the gravitational force on each from the other. Their initial center-to-center separation isRi. Assume that we are in an inertial reference frame that is stationary with respect to the center of mass of this two body system. Use the principle of conservation of mechanical energy (Kf+ Uf=Ki +Ui ) to find the following when the center-to-center separation is 0.5Ri:

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(g) Why are the answers to (d) and (f) different? Which answer is correct?

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