Calculate Escape Speed on Surface of Planet Using Gravity and Density
Gravitational acceleration on the surface of a planet is , where is the gravitational acceleration on the surface of the earth. The average mass density of the planet is times that of the earth. If the escape speed on the surface of the earth is taken to be , the escape speed on the surface of the planet in will be
Topics & Concepts
Step-by-Step Solution
To find the escape speed on the surface of the planet, we use the relations for gravitational acceleration, density, and escape velocity.
The gravitational acceleration on the surface of a spherical body of mass , radius , and uniform density is given by:
From this, the radius can be expressed in terms of and :
The ratio of the radius of the planet to the radius of the Earth is:
Given that:
Substituting these values into the ratio of the radii:
The escape speed from the surface of a celestial body is given by:
Taking the ratio of the escape speed on the planet to that on the Earth :
Given that the escape speed on the surface of the Earth is :