In class we learned how the work of Galileo Galilei is of paramount importance t

Question

In class we learned how the work of Galileo Galilei is of paramount importance to study of the motion of objects. Galileo publicly defended Nicholaus Copernicus's assertion that the Sun is at the center of the Universe (heliocentric system) rather than the Earth in the center of the Universe (geocentric system). He published Dialogue Concerning Two New World Systems to support the Copernican model, a view which the Church declared to be heretical. After being taken to Rome in 1633 on a charge of heresy, he was sentenced to life imprisonment, and later was confined to his villa at Arcetri, near Florence, where he died in 1642. (North Wind, see text page 42). It was Isaac Newton, who discovered the laws of motion and the law of gravity which can be used to explain why the earth has to go around the sun. a. According to Newton what would be the expression for the force of attraction Fsun-torth between the sun and earth. What would be the expression for the force of attraction F_earth-sun between the earth and sun? The answer is in symbolic form. b. Derive an expression a_earth/a_sun using Newton's laws of motion and show that a_earth>> a_sun.

Explanation / Answer

a) USing Newton law for gravitational force between two masses,

F = G M1 M2 / D^2

Fsun-earth = G Msun Mearth / d^2

where d is then distance between sun and earth.

Fearth-sun = G Mearth Msun / d^2

b) F = ma

a = F/m

a_earth = (G Msun Mearth / d^2 ) / Mearth = G Msun / d^2

a_sun = (G Msun Mearth / d^2 ) / Msub = G Mearth / d^2

a_earth / a_sun = Msun / Mearth

and mass of sun > > Mearth

Msun / Mearth   >> 1

a_earth / a_sun > > 1

a_earth >> a_sun

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse I
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.