An object of mass 0.50 kg is transported to the surface of Planet X where the object's weight is measured to be 20 N.The radius of the planet is 4.0 x 10⁶ m.What is the mass of Planet X? (G = 6.67 x 10^-11 N*m²/kg²) A)13 x 10¹⁹kg B)17 x 10²² kg C)9.6 x 10²⁴ kg D)21 x 10²⁵kg

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The weight of the object on Planet X is given by:
W = G(Mm/r^2)
where M is the mass of the planet, m is the mass of the object, r is the radius of the planet, and G is the gravitational constant.

We can rearrange this equation to solve for M:
M = (Wr^2)/(Gm)

Substituting the given values, we get:
M = (20 N)(4.0 x 10^16 m)^2 / [(6.67 x 10^-11 Nm^2/kg^2)(0.50 kg)]
M = 9.6 x 10^24 kg

Therefore, the mass of Planet X is 9.6 x 10^24 kg. The correct answer is (C).

An Object of Mass 0