The crater was created by the impact of a meteorite of estimated 4.7×10 8 kg mas

Question

The crater was created by the impact of a meteorite of estimated 4.7×108 kg mass. The meteorite's speed before impact was about 1.0×104 m/s . Large amounts of rock found near the crater appeared to have melted on impact and then solidified as it cooled, indicating that the temperature of the rock during impact reached at least 1700 C, the melting temperature of the rock.
Take 3300 kg/m3 meteorite density; 840 J/kgCspecific heat for the solid meteorite; 2.7 × 105J/kgheat of fusion, the same as that of iron; 1000 J/kgCspecific heat for the liquid meteorite, the same as that of iron; and 6.4× 106J/kg heat of vaporization, the same as for iron.

A) Determine the initial kinetic energy of the meteorite.

B) Determine the gravitational potential energy change. The mass of Earth is 5.98×1024kg.

C)Determine the energy needed to melt the solid meteorite at its 1700C melting temperature.

Explanation / Answer

part a:

initial kinetic energy=0.5*mass*initial speed^2

=0.5*4.7*10^8*(10^4)^2

=2.35*10^16 J

part b:

change in gravitational potential energy=G*mass of the crate/radius of earth

=6.674*10^(-11)*4.7*10^8/(6371*1000)

=4.9235*10^(-9) J

part c:

energy needed to melt the solid meteorite=mass *heat of fusion

=4.7*10^8*2.7*10^5

=1.269*10^14 J

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse T
• Subjects

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