An object of mass 0.50 kg is transported to the surface of Planet X where the object's weight is measured to be 10 N. The radius of the planet is 4.0 * 10⁶ m. What free fall acceleration will the 0.50 kg object experience when transported to a distance of 2.0 *10⁶ m from the surface of this planet? A) 90 m/s² B) 8.9 m/s² C) 13 m/s² D) 18 m/s²

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The weight of the object on the surface is 10 N, so the gravitational acceleration on the surface is 10 N / 0.50 kg = 20 m/s². At a distance of 2.0 x 10⁶ m from the surface, the total distance from the center of the planet is 6.0 x 10⁶ m. Using the inverse square law for gravity, the acceleration is (20 m/s²) * (4.0 x 10⁶ m / 6.0 x 10⁶ m)² = 8.9 m/s².

An Object of Mass 0