On August 10, 1972, a large meteorite skipped across the atmosphere above the western United States and western Canada, much like a stone skipped across water.The accompanying fireball was so bright that it could be seen in the daytime sky and was brighter than the usual meteorite trail. The meteorite’s mass was about 4 * 106 kg; its speed was about 15 km/s. Had it entered the atmosphere vertically, it would have hit Earth’s surface with about the same speed. (a) Calculate the meteorite’s loss of kinetic energy (in joules) that would have been associated with the vertical impact. (b) Express the energy as a multiple of the explosive energy of 1 megaton of TNT, which is 4.2 * 1015 J. (c) The energy associated with the atomic bomb explosion over Hiroshima was equivalent to 13 kilotons of TNT. To how many Hiroshima bombs would the meteorite impact have been equivalent?
Gravitational force
In nature, every object is attracted by every other object. This phenomenon is called gravity. The force associated with gravity is called gravitational force. The gravitational force is the weakest force that exists in nature. The gravitational force is always attractive.
Acceleration Due to Gravity
In fundamental physics, gravity or gravitational force is the universal attractive force acting between all the matters that exist or exhibit. It is the weakest known force. Therefore no internal changes in an object occurs due to this force. On the other hand, it has control over the trajectories of bodies in the solar system and in the universe due to its vast scope and universal action. The free fall of objects on Earth and the motions of celestial bodies, according to Newton, are both determined by the same force. It was Newton who put forward that the moon is held by a strong attractive force exerted by the Earth which makes it revolve in a straight line. He was sure that this force is similar to the downward force which Earth exerts on all the objects on it.
On August 10, 1972, a large meteorite skipped across the
atmosphere above the western United States and western Canada, much like a stone skipped across water.The accompanying fireball
was so bright that it could be seen in the daytime sky and was
brighter than the usual meteorite trail. The meteorite’s mass was
about 4 * 106 kg; its speed was about 15 km/s. Had it entered the
atmosphere vertically, it would have hit Earth’s surface with about
the same speed. (a) Calculate the meteorite’s loss of kinetic energy
(in joules) that would have been associated with the vertical impact.
(b) Express the energy as a multiple of the explosive energy of
1 megaton of TNT, which is 4.2 * 1015 J. (c) The energy associated
with the atomic bomb explosion over Hiroshima was equivalent to
13 kilotons of TNT. To how many Hiroshima bombs would the meteorite
impact have been equivalent?
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