An asteroid of mass 1.4 × 10¹⁴ kg is observed to have an escape speed equal to a typical person's maximum jumping speed, 3.0 m/s. What is its radius?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The escape speed $ v_e $ is given by the formula $ v_e = \sqrt{\frac{2GM}{R}} $, where $ G $ is the gravitational constant, $ M $ is the mass of the asteroid, and $ R $ is its radius. Solving for $ R $ using the given escape speed and mass, we find $ R \approx 2.1 $ km.

An Asteroid of Mass 1