course PHY 121
Prof. Smith,On assignment 26, the experiment Simulation of motion in the gravitational field of the Earth, I am to the point where I am to comparte the centripetal acceleration to gravitational acceleration. One example is: at 1.2Earth radii, I have velocity 7200^2/1.2 = 43,200,000m/s I am not sure what I am to compare it to. Is it just the 7200^2 or f/m?
You are using a = v^2 / r. This is the correct formula, but dividing v^2, where v is in m/s, by r, where r is in Earth radii, does not give you m/s^2 (and note that the MKS unit of acceleration is m/s^2, not m/s).
You have to express r in units of meters; remember that it's essential to always express all quantities used in your calculations with units.
Expressing v in units of m/s and r in units of meters, what do you get for a?
Using proportionality (see the introductory problem set on gravitation if you don't remember how to apply proportionality to this situation), knowing that the acceleration of gravity is 9.8 m/s^2 at the surface of the Earth (i.e., at 1 Earth radius), what do you get for the acceleration at 1.2 Earth radii?
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