Question

Calculate the acceleration due to gravity on the surface of the Sun. By what factor would your weight increase if you could stand on the Sun? (Never mind that you cannot.)

a) 274 m/s^2; 27.4
b) 27.4 m/s^2; 274
c) 2740 m/s^2; 2.74
d) 2.74 m/s^2; 2740

Answer 1

The acceleration due to gravity on the surface of the Sun is
`274 m/s^2`. If you could stand on the Sun, your weight would increase by a factor of 27.4.

Step-by-step explanation:

The acceleration due to gravity on the surface of the Sun can be calculated using Newton's law of universal gravitation.

The formula is given by:

`g = G * (M_s_u_n / R_s_u_n^2)`

where g is the acceleration due to gravity, G is the gravitational constant (
`6.674 x 10^-^1^1 m^3 kg^-^1 s^-^2`), M_sun is the mass of the Sun (1.989 × 10³⁰ kg), and R_sun is the radius of the Sun (6.9634 × 10⁸ m).

Plugging in these values, we get:

`g = (6.674 x 10^-^1^1) * (1.989 x 10^3^0 / (6.9634 x 10^8)^2)`

=
`274 m/s^2`

If you could stand on the Sun, your weight would increase by a factor equal to the acceleration due to gravity on the Sun divided by the acceleration due to gravity on Earth. Since the acceleration due to gravity on Earth is approximately 9.8 m/s², the weight increase factor would be:

274 m/s² / 9.8 m/s²

= 27.4