A rocket ship is coasting toward a planet.Its captain wishes to know the value of g at the surface of the planet.This may be inferred by:
A)measuring the apparent weight of one of the crew
B)measuring the apparent weight of an object of known mass in the ship
C)measuring the diameter of the planet
D)measuring the density of the planet
E)observing the ship's acceleration and correcting for the distance from the center of the planet

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The ship's acceleration due to the planet's gravity can be observed and, by using the distance from the planet's center, one can calculate the gravitational acceleration (g) at the planet's surface. This method directly relates to how gravitational force decreases with distance, allowing for the calculation of g at the surface.

A Rocket Ship Is Coasting Toward a Planet