The weight of spaceman Speff at the surface of planet X,solely due to its gravitational pull,is 389 N.If he moves to a distance of 1.86 × 10⁴ km above the planet's surface,his weight changes to 24.31 N.What is the mass of planet X,if Speff's mass is 75.0 kg? (G = 6.67 × 10^-11 N ∙ m²/kg²) A)2.99 × 10²⁴ kg B)2.99 × 10¹⁸ kg C)2.99 × 10¹⁷ kg D)1.59 × 10¹⁸ kg

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The gravitational force is given by F = G * (m1 * m2) / r^2. At the surface, F = 389 N, and at a distance above the surface, F = 24.31 N. Using these two equations and solving for the mass of the planet, we find it to be approximately 2.99 × 10^24 kg.

The Weight of Spaceman Speff at the Surface of Planet