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The average distance between the Earth and the Sun is about , whereas the average distance between the Earth and Mars is about . Assume the usual convention that the gravitational potential energy referenced to the Earth is zero when infinitely far away.

a. What is the gravitational potential energy for the Earth-Sun system.

b. What is the gravitational potential energy for the Earth-Mars system.

c. Describe how these values indicate that the Sun has a greater effect on the Earth's motion than Mars does. What is the most dominant factor that causes the Sun to have the greater effect.

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Ciara Beatrice Canalita
Ciara Beatrice CanalitaLv10
18 Nov 2020

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Related textbook solutions

Physics: Principles with Applications
7th Edition, 2013
Giancoli
ISBN: 9780321625922

Related questions

The Sun is powered by nuclear fusion. In each chain reaction, four hydrogen nuclei fuse together to become a single helium nucleus. The total combined mass of the individual hydrogen nuclei before the reaction is greater than the mass of the helium nucleus. The mass lost as a result of this chain reaction is turned into energy according to Einstein’s famous equation, E = mc2 (Chapter 39). Consider the first part of the chain reaction in which two hydrogen nuclei (each a single proton) fuse. Figure P8.56A shows the potential energy curve of a two-proton system. The energy in this graph is given in keV, where “eV” is the abbreviation for the unit electron-volt and 1 eV = 1.6 × 10−19 J. When the protons are more than about 2 fm (2 × 10−15 m) apart, the potential energy is positive. When the protons are close together, the potential energy is negative, and the protons are fused. Figure P8.56B shows a close-up of the potential energy curve when the protons are far apart.

  1. a. What is the minimum mechanical energy required for the two protons to fuse? Give your answer in keV.
  2. b. The mechanical energy of an average two-proton system in the Sun is around 2 keV. What is the minimum distance between the protons in such a system?
  3. c. Explain why it seems impossible for fusion to take place in the Sun. Note: Of course, fusion must take place in the Sun. Although it seems impossible according to classical mechanics, quantum mechanics (Part VI) makes fusion possible. According to quantum mechanics, the seemingly impossible is merely improbable, and even events with a low probability of occurrence may still happen. Because there are so many protons in the Sun, there is a good chance that at any moment many of them will fuse.

Chapter 8, Problem 56PQ, The Sun is powered by nuclear fusion. In each chain reaction, four hydrogen nuclei fuse together to

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