All of electrostatics follows from 1/r2the character of Coulomb's law, together with the principle of superposition. An analogous theory can therefore be constructed for Newton's law of universal gravitation. What is the gravitational energy of a sphere, of mass M and radius R,assuming the density is uniform? Use your result to estimate the gravitational energy of the sun (look up the relevant numbers). Note that the energy is negative-masses attract,whereas (like) electric charges repel.As the matter "falls in," to create the sun, its energy is converted into other forms (typically thermal), and it is subsequently released in the form of radiation. The sun radiates at a rate of 3.86×1026W; if all this came from gravitational energy, how long would the sun last? [The sun is in fact much older than that, so evidently this is notthe source of its power.]

Short Answer

Expert verified

The time taken by the sun is 1.87×107years.

Step by step solution

01

Define functions

Write the expression for the Coulomb’s law.

F=kqQr2r^ …… (1)

Here, is the force of attraction or repulsion, is the Coulombs law, is the magnitude of the first charge, is the magnitude of second charge, is the distance between two charges.

Now, write the expression for the Newton’s law of universal gravitation.

g¯=GMmR2 …… (2)

Here,g¯ is the gravitational force, is the gravitational constant, is t. he mass of the first body, is the mass of the second body, is the distance separation between two bodies.

Also radiant power of the sun is given, P=3.86×1026W.

02

Determine gravitational energy

Write the different point for the gravitational filed for the sphere.

g¯=GMrR3r<RGMr2r>R

Write the expression for gravitational energy of the sphere. localid="1657516798798" W=1214πGsphereg2dπ.......(3)

=18πG0g2dτ

Here, w is the gravitational energy.

Substitute the value of GMrR3r<RGMr2r>Rforg¯inequation(3)

w=18πG0RGMrR32dτ+RGMrr22dτ=18πG0RG2M2r2R64πτ2dr+RG2M2r44πr2dτ=3GM25R

Thus, the gravitational energy is w=3GM25R.

Substitute 6.67×10-11N.m2/kg2for G, 1.99×1030kgfor Mand 6.96×108mfor R.

w=36.67×10-11N.m2/kg21.99×1030kg256.96×108m

=2.277×1041J

Therefore, the value of gravitational energy is =2.277×1041J.

03

Determine time taken by the sun

Write the expression for the time taken by the sun to last long.

t=Pw-1

Here, t is the time taken by the sun, P is the radiant power.

Substitute 3.86×1026W for Pand 2.27×1041J for w.

t=3.86×1026W2.27×1041J-1=5.898×1014s=1.87×107yrs

Hence, the time taken by the sun is 1.87×107yrs.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

A sphere of radius Rcarries a charge density ρ(r)=kr(where kis a constant). Find the energy of the configuration. Check your answer by calculating it in at least two different ways.

LetG be a normal subgroup of a group and let be a homomorphism of groups such that the restriction of to is an isomorphism . Prove that , where is the kernel of f.

Suppose the plates of a parallel-plate capacitor move closer together by an infinitesimal distance, as a result of their mutual attraction.

(a) Use Eq. 2.52 to express the work done by electrostatic forces, in terms of the fieldE, and the area of the plates, A.

(b) Use Eq. 2.46 to express the energy lost by the field in this process.

(This problem is supposed to be easy, but it contains the embryo of an alternative derivation of Eq. 2.52, using conservation of energy.)

Question: If the electric field in some region is given (in spherical coordinates)

by the expression

E(r)=kr[3r^+2sinθcosθsinϕθ^+sinθcosϕϕ^]

for some constant , what is the charge density?

We know that the charge on a conductor goes to the surface, but just

how it distributes itself there is not easy to determine. One famous example in which the surface charge density can be calculated explicitly is the ellipsoid:

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In this case15

σ=Q4πabc(x2a4+y2b4+z2c4)-1/2

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(c) the net charge per unit length λ(x)on a conducting "needle," running from x = - a to x = a. In each case, sketch the graph of your result.

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