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Find the mass of Jupiter (in kg) based on data for the orbit of Ganymede.

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Final answer:

The mass of Jupiter can be calculated using Kepler's Third Law of Planetary Motion, resulting in an approximate mass of 1.9 × 10^27 kg.

Step-by-step explanation:

The mass of Jupiter can be calculated using Kepler's Third Law of Planetary Motion, which states that the square of the orbital period of a planet is directly proportional to the cube of its average orbital radius. Based on the given data for Ganymede's orbit, we can use the following formula:

Mass of Jupiter = (4π² × (Orbital Radius of Ganymede)³) / (Gravitational Constant × (Orbital Period of Ganymede)²)

Substituting the values given, we get:

Mass of Jupiter = (4π² × (421,700 km)³) / (Gravitational Constant × (1.77 days)²)

Calculating the numerical value gives us an approximate mass of Jupiter as 1.9 × 10^27 kg.

User Michael Klenk
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