Question

g Astronomers estimate that a 2.0-km-wide asteroid collides with the Earth once every million years. The collision could pose a threat to life on Earth. Part A Assume a spherical asteroid has a mass of 3400 kg for each cubic meter of volume and moves toward the Earth at 15 km/s . How much destructive energy could be released when it embeds itself in the Earth

Answer 1

`1.60221* 10^(21)\ \text{J}`

Step-by-step explanation:

`\rho` = Density of sattelite =
`3400\ \text{kg/m}^3`

`v` = Velocity of asteroid =
`15\ \text{km/s}`

Radius of the asteroid =
`(2)/(2)=1\ \text{km}`

Mass of asteroid

`m=\rho V\\\Rightarrow m=3400* (4)/(3)\pi 1000^3`

Energy of the asteroid would be

`E=(1)/(2)mv^2\\\Rightarrow E=(1)/(2)* 3400* (4)/(3)\pi 1000^3* (15*10^3)^2\\\Rightarrow E=1.60221* 10^(21)\ \text{J}`

The destructive energy that could be released when the asteroid embeds itself in the Earth is
`1.60221* 10^(21)\ \text{J}`