As mentioned before, our asteroid is in the shape of a sphere and has a mass of 1500 kilograms. Determine the density (in grams per cubic centimeter) of this asteroid if its diameter is known to be 1 meter. Useful information: 1 kg = 1000 g, 1 m = 100 cm, volume of sphere = 4/3 π r3. Remember that the radius of a sphere is equal to half its diameter. Show all your work. (20 points)
The density of the spherical asteroid can be calculated using the formula:
Density ρ = mass M/ Volume V
Mass M = 1,500,000 g
Volume V = 4/3π R 3
R= 500cm
V=4/3π 500 3 = 523598775.598 cm 3
ρ = 1,500,000 g / 523598775.598 cm 3
Therefore, density of the asteroid ρ = 0.002864789 g/cm 3
How does your calculated density (in grams per cubic centimeter) compare to the density of liquid water? Would you expect this asteroid to float or sink in water based on your calculations? What else do you need to take into consideration when making your decision? Explain your answers fully. (10 points)
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The density of the water is about 1 g/cm 3 which is greater than of the asteroid (0.002864789 g/cm 3 ). For this reason, the asteroid will float on water. Objects can also float on water is they have a greater ratio of empty space than water.
The Physics Classroom. (2019). Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation. Retrieved September 16, 2019, from http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/circles/Lesson-3/Newton-s-Law-ofUniversal-Gravitation .
One side of our asteroid is constantly illuminated by the Sun while the other side remains in the dark. Do you expect there to be a temperature difference between the light and dark sides? Explain why or why not. If the two sides are at different temperatures, how might heat transfer from one side to the other? Note that our asteroid does not have enough gravity to hold an atmosphere. (15 points)
The Physics Classroom. (2019). Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation. Retrieved September 16, 2019, from https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/circles
The side of the asteroid that is constantly illuminated is likely to have higher temperature as compared to the dark side. This is because the light from the sun striking the surface of the asteroid absorbs heat energy from the sun. If the two sides are at different temperatures, heat energy will travel from the region of higher temperature (the light side) to the region of lower temperature (the dark side). Heat will travel from the sun to the asteroid in spite of the fact that the asteroid does not have enough gravity to hold an atmosphere. This is because heat travels through a vacuum by infrared radiation from the rays of the sun. Then again, heat will travel through the asteroid due to the fact that it travels through solids.
Occasionally an asteroid will break into fragments due to a collision. These fragments, which often contain ice, can leave the asteroid belt and make their way to Earth. Upon entering Earth's atmosphere, the fragment would be heated to a high temperature by frictional forces. What would happen to any ice contained within the fragment? What type of phase change would this be? Is this type of change considered a chemical change or a physical change? Explain. (10 points)
When the fragments containing ice enter the Earth’s atmosphere, they travel through a gaseous media thus creating friction with these gases that have higher temperature than the fragments. As a result of this, the ice in the fragments absorbs heat from the atmosphere and changes from solid form (ice) to liquid form (water) through a process known as liquefaction (melting). If temperatures increasing beyond 100 0 C, the liquid water vaporizes to form water vapor through a process known as vaporization or evaporation. This process is physical in nature since it is reversible.
The Physics Classroom. (2019). Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation. Retrieved September 16, 2019, from https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/sound
Due to friction with the Earth's atmosphere, a large static electric charge could build up on a plummeting asteroid fragment. Would you expect the fragment to generate an electric field in this situation? Explain why or why not. (10 points)
The plummeting fragment cannot generate an electric field since it is not in motion relative to itself. Electric fields are only generated when there is a relative motion electron source and a magnet. However, the plummeting fragment will static electricity as a result of the imbalance of electric charges on its surface.
The Physics Classroom. (2019). Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation. Retrieved September 16, 2019, from https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/estatics
Would you expect the plummeting fragment from the previous question to generate a magnetic field? Explain why or why not. (10 points)
The plummeting fragment is not expected to generate a magnetic field due to the fact that magnetic fields are only generated by running electric current through a wire. This happens when charged particles are moved through a wire.
The Physics Classroom. (2019). Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation. Retrieved September 16, 2019, from https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/energy
Would you expect the plummeting fragment from the previous question to have any effect on nearby electric power lines? Explain why or why not. (10 points)
The plummeting object will not have effect on nearby electric power lines because the static charges generated through friction with air have insignificant impact on electric power carried through the electric power lines. Electricity passes through high-voltage power lines and like water it seeks the most direct route which is towards the ground. Therefore, both the plummeting fragments and electricity carried through the power lines will be seeking their way towards the ground thus having insignificant effects on one another.
A large in-falling fragment could be tracked using radar. Explain how distance, speed, and the direction of motion, of the fragment could be determined. (15 points)
Radar imaging technology is used to determine the distance, speed, and the direction of motion, of the fragment. Images capture through a radar provide apparent rotation rates and direct size estimates. Infrared or optical observations are used estimate distance to the fragment normally referred to as range and the speed at which the fragment is moving. The direction of motion of the fragment can be determined using the changing distance and relative speed towards the earth’s surface.
The Physics Classroom. (2019). Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation. Retrieved September 16, 2019, from http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/circles/Lesson-3/Newton-s-Law-ofUniversal-Gravitation .
References
The Physics Classroom. (2019). Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation. Retrieved September 26, 2017, from http://www.physicsclassroom.com/
