How do we accurately estimate the mass of the earth/planets?
How do we accurately estimate the mass of the earth/planets?
What do scientists come up with to educatedly guess the mass of the earth?
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GenesForLife
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Re: How do we accurately estimate the mass of the earth/plan
F = Gm1m2/r2 = ma ----- (1)
Gm/r2 = g ------- (2)
m = gr2/G
m = (9.8 m/s2)(6.37 × 106 m)2/(6.673 × 10-11 Nm2/kg2)
m = 5.96 × 1024 kg
Gm/r2 = g ------- (2)
m = gr2/G
m = (9.8 m/s2)(6.37 × 106 m)2/(6.673 × 10-11 Nm2/kg2)
m = 5.96 × 1024 kg
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GenesForLife
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Re: How do we accurately estimate the mass of the earth/plan
The other approach would be to calculate the radius of the earth and factor that in to obtain the mass.
M = g r2/ G
M = g r2/ G
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Re: How do we accurately estimate the mass of the earth/plan
Ask Wiki!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_mass
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_mass
The mass of a planet within the Solar System is an adjusted parameter in the preparation of ephemerides. There are two basic procedures for measurement:In practice, both methods are used. The ephemeris is a model of the Solar System, and the planetary masses within that model are adjusted so as to give the best fit between the model and the observed positions of the planets.
- If the planet has natural satellites, its mass can be calculated from Kepler's third law. The same procedure can be used for data from space probes such as the Voyager probes to the outer planets and the MESSENGER spacecraft to Mercury.
- The mass of a planet can also be inferred from its effect on the orbits of other planets.
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Salman Rushdie
You talk to God, you're religious. God talks to you, you're psychotic.
House MD
Who needs a meaning anyway, I'd settle anyday for a very fine view.
Sandy Denny
This is the wrong forum for bluffing
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Yes, yes. But first I need to show you this venomous fish!
Calilasseia
I think we should do whatever Pawiz wants.
Twoflower
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Re: How do we accurately estimate the mass of the earth/plan
Oh, so you just measure gravitional pulls? Neat!
Wiki doesn't answer, it pontificates!Wiki
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Re: How do we accurately estimate the mass of the earth/plan
I was trying to imagine someone walking around the world with one of those meter counting wheel thingies. 
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Gawdzilla Sama
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Re: How do we accurately estimate the mass of the earth/plan
The mother of all bathroom scales. (The planets disrobe before being weighed so they get an "accurate" weight. Then they find a way to justify that extra slice of cheesecake while watching the telly.
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Re: How do we accurately estimate the mass of the earth/plan
Use a cosmic scale .Gawdzilla wrote:The mother of all bathroom scales. (The planets disrobe before being weighed so they get an "accurate" weight. Then they find a way to justify that extra slice of cheesecake while watching the telly.
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Gawdzilla Sama
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Re: How do we accurately estimate the mass of the earth/plan
Dude! That is so . . . cosmic, man!Feck wrote:Use a cosmic scale .Gawdzilla wrote:The mother of all bathroom scales. (The planets disrobe before being weighed so they get an "accurate" weight. Then they find a way to justify that extra slice of cheesecake while watching the telly.
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Re: How do we accurately estimate the mass of the earth/plan
No matter how hard I push the earth down away from me with my feet, gravity pulls it back up with an acceleration of 1g.
So I shoud be able to work out the mass of the earth, If I know the distance to it's centre of gravity, and my own mass.
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So I shoud be able to work out the mass of the earth, If I know the distance to it's centre of gravity, and my own mass.
.
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