142k views
2 votes
The mass of the sun is 1.99 x 1030 kg. The distance from the sun to Earth is 6.96 x 108 m.

How fast would you need to travel to escape the gravitational pull of the sun?

User Demwis
by
3.4k points

1 Answer

4 votes

Use Newton’s law of universal gravitation.

F = Gm1m2/r^2

(Force) F= Newtons

G is the “Universal Gravitational Constant”. G = 6.67 × 10^-11 N m^2 kg^-2

M1 is the first mass, the Sun. Mass of the Sun = 2 x 10^30 kg

M2 is the second mass, the Earth. Mass of the Earth = 6 x 10^24 kg

DR is the distance between the two objects. Distance from the Earth to the Sun = 1.5 x 10^11 metres

F = Gm1m2/r^2

F = G x 2 x 10^30 x 6 x 10^24/ [1.5 x 10^11] ^2 = 6.7 x 10^11 N

User Crazybyte
by
3.8k points