Answer to Clicker Questions, Chap 8

1. The mass density of a certain planet has spherical symmetry but varies in
such a way that the mass inside every spherical surface with center at the
center of the planet is proportional to the radius of the surface. If r is the
distance from the center of the planet to a point mass inside the planet, the
gravitational force on the mass is :
1. not dependent on r
2. proportional to r
2
3. proportional to r
4. proportional to 1 r
!. proportional to 1 r
2
"ns. #4$
%ass inside radius R :
( ) ( )
2
0
4
R
M R r r dr

R

2
1
r

&ravitational force on mass m inside sphere r is
( )
2
m M r
f
r

2
1 r
r r

2. 'ach of the four corners of a s(uare with edge a is occupied by a point
mass m. There is a fifth mass, also m, at the center of the s(uare. To
remove the mass from the center to a point far away the wor) that must be
done by an e*ternal agent is given by:
1. 4Gm
2
/a
2. +4Gm
2
/a
3. #42$ Gm
2
/a
4. +#42$ Gm
2
/a
!. 4Gm
2
/a
2
"ns. #3$
,otential energy of m at center of s(uare is
( )
2
0 4
2
2
m
U G
a
_




,

2 2
8
4 2
2
Gm Gm
a a

To bring it to infinity, where ( ) 0 U
re(uires wor)
( ) ( )
2
0 0 0
0 4 2
ext
Gm
W W U U U
a

.
3. " pro-ectile is fired straight upward from 'arth.s surface with a speed that
is half the escape speed. If R is the radius of 'arth, the highest altitude
reached, measured from the surface, is
1. R4
2. R3
3. R2
4. R
!. 2R
"ns: #2$
2
1
2 2
esc
v
K m
_

,
/y definition:
2
1
2
E
esc
M
v G
R

%a*imum height H is given by:

( ) ( ) E K U R U R H + +
2
1 1 1
2 2
esc
E
v
K m GmM
R H R
_ _
+

+
, ,

1 1 1
4R R R H

+

1 3
4 R H R

+
3
R
H
4. "n ob-ect is dropped from an altitude of one 'arth radius above 'arth.s
surface. If M is the mass of 'arth and R is its radius the speed of the
ob-ect -ust before it hits 'arth is given by :
1. / GM R
2. / 2 GM R
3. 2 / GM R
4.
2
/ GM R
!.
2
/ 2 GM R
"ns: #1$
( ) ( ) 2 E U R K U R +
2
1 1 1
2 2
mv GmM
R R
_
+

,

1
2
GmM
R

GM
v
R

!. " planet in another solar system orbits a star with a mass of 4.0 10
30
)g.
"t one point in its orbit it is 2!0 10
1
)m from the star and is moving at 3!
)ms. Ta)e the universal gravitational constant to be 1.12 10
+11
m
2
s
2

)g and calculate the semima-or a*is of the planet.s orbit. The result is :
1. 23 10
1
)m
2. 110 10
1
)m
3. 230 10
1
)m
4. 320 10
1
)m
!. !30 10
1
)m
"ns: #3$
( ) ( )
( )
30
2
3 11
9
4.0 10
1
35 10 6.67 10
2 250 10
E K U M

1

+ 1

1
]

8
4.547 10 M # M mass of planet $
4sing
2
S
M M
E G
a
#
S
M
mass of star, a 5 semima-or a*is $ , we have
( ) ( )
( )
11 30
8
6.67 10 4.0 10
2 4.547 10
a




11
2.93 10 m
6
290 10 km
1. " spaceship is returning to 'arth with its engine turned off. 6onsider only
the gravitational field of 'arth and let M be the mass of 'arth, m be the
mass of the spaceship, and R be the distance from the center of 'arth.
In moving from position 1 to position 2 the )inetic energy of the spaceship
increases by :
1.
2 2
2 1
1 1
GMm
R R
_

,

2.
2 2
1 2
1 1
GMm
R R
_

,
3.
1 2
2 2
1 2
R R
GMm
R R

4.
1 2
1 2
R R
GMm
R R

!.
2 1
1 2
R R
GMm
R R

"ns: #4$
1 1 2 2
E K U K U + +

2 1 1 2
K K U U

1 2
1 1
GMm
R R
_
+

,

1 2
1 2
R R
GMm
R R
_