PHY-101 Homework

Question 1: The mass of the Earth is roughly 6 × 1024 kg and its radius is roughly
6370 km. Answer the following:

ˆ Calculate the gravitational force it exerts on an object with a mass of 100 kg

kept on its surface.

ˆ Calculate the gravitational force it exerts on an object with a mass of 500 kg

kept on its surface.

ˆ How much further away the second object needs to be from Earth so as to
experience the same amount of force as the first object.

Question 2: Calculate the position of the center of mass for the following objects:

ˆ Uniform rod with length L and a constant mass density ρ

ˆ Non-uniform rod with mass density varying as λ = λ0 (s2 /L) where L is the
length of the rod and s is the distance from one end.

ˆ Uniform square with side A and a constant mass density ρ

ˆ Uniform rectangle with sides A and B, and a constant mass density ρ

Question 3: In the spring gun recoil problem we looked at in the class:

Calculate the final velocity of the gun if its mass is 1 kg, the mass of the marble is
20 g, the muzzle velocity of the marble is 50 m/s and the gun is inclined at 30◦ .

Question 4: We learned in the class that the force experienced by the body when
it lands from a height h and the center of mass travels distance s during the collision
with thr ground, is given by F = M g hs . Consider two different scenarios:

ˆ The person weighs 60 kg and the jump is from a height of 2 m. The landing is
rigid and the center of mass travels only 5 cm. What is the force experienced by
the body?

ˆ What is the ratio of the forces if the landing is softer and the center of mass
moves 22 cm?