JEE Challenger
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Calculate Escape Speed on Surface of Planet Using Gravity and Density

Gravitational acceleration on the surface of a planet is 611g\frac{\sqrt{6}}{11}\text{g}, where g\text{g} is the gravitational acceleration on the surface of the earth. The average mass density of the planet is 23\frac{2}{3} times that of the earth. If the escape speed on the surface of the earth is taken to be 11 kms−111\text{ kms}^{-1}, the escape speed on the surface of the planet in kms−1\text{kms}^{-1} will be

Official Numerical Answer3

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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 gg on the surface of a spherical body of mass MM, radius RR, and uniform density ρ\rho is given by:
g=GMR2=G(43πR3ρ)R2=43πGρRg = \frac{GM}{R^2} = \frac{G \left(\frac{4}{3}\pi R^3 \rho\right)}{R^2} = \frac{4}{3}\pi G \rho R

From this, the radius RR can be expressed in terms of gg and ρ\rho:
R=3g4πGρR = \frac{3g}{4\pi G \rho}

The ratio of the radius of the planet RpR_p to the radius of the Earth ReR_e is:
RpRe=(gpge)(ρeρp)\frac{R_p}{R_e} = \left(\frac{g_p}{g_e}\right) \left(\frac{\rho_e}{\rho_p}\right)

Given that:
gpge=611andρpρe=23  ⟹  ρeρp=32\frac{g_p}{g_e} = \frac{\sqrt{6}}{11} \quad \text{and} \quad \frac{\rho_p}{\rho_e} = \frac{2}{3} \implies \frac{\rho_e}{\rho_p} = \frac{3}{2}

Substituting these values into the ratio of the radii:
RpRe=(611)(32)=3622\frac{R_p}{R_e} = \left(\frac{\sqrt{6}}{11}\right) \left(\frac{3}{2}\right) = \frac{3\sqrt{6}}{22}

The escape speed vescv_{\text{esc}} from the surface of a celestial body is given by:
vesc=2gRv_{\text{esc}} = \sqrt{2gR}

Taking the ratio of the escape speed on the planet vpv_p to that on the Earth vev_e:
vpve=gpge×RpRe=(611)(3622)=3×611×22=18242=9121=311\frac{v_p}{v_e} = \sqrt{\frac{g_p}{g_e} \times \frac{R_p}{R_e}} = \sqrt{\left(\frac{\sqrt{6}}{11}\right) \left(\frac{3\sqrt{6}}{22}\right)} = \sqrt{\frac{3 \times 6}{11 \times 22}} = \sqrt{\frac{18}{242}} = \sqrt{\frac{9}{121}} = \frac{3}{11}

Given that the escape speed on the surface of the Earth is ve=11 kms−1v_e = 11\text{ kms}^{-1}:
vp=ve×311=11×311=3 kms−1v_p = v_e \times \frac{3}{11} = 11 \times \frac{3}{11} = 3\text{ kms}^{-1}