Question regarding calculating acceleration due to gravity on planet Mercury I was asked to calculate the acceleration due to gravity on planet Mercury, if the mas of Mercury is 2 , 99 × 10 22 k g and its radius is 2 , 42 × 10 3 k m. The mass of the object is 10 k g and the mass of Earth is 6 × 10 24 k g and the Radius of the Earth is 3 , 82 × 10 3 k mThis question rather puzzled me because I was not sure if my answer is correct or not but let me proceed : F → = m a → = F g = G m 1 m 2 r 2 m 1 g = G m 1 m 2 r 2 (Note that m 2 = mass of mercury) g = ( 6.673 × 10 − 11 m 2 k g 2 ) ( 2 , 99 × 10 22 k g ) ( 2 , 42 × 10 6 m ) 2 I compute my answer to be 0.34 m s 2 What really is confusing me is that when I look at my textbook, it shows me the gravitational acceleration due to gravity on mercury to be 3.59 m s 2 Can someone please explain to me what the answer that I am getting is giving me? My computation was marked correct in a test but I do not understand what this value is giving me.

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Question regarding calculating acceleration due to gravity on planet Mercury I was asked to calculate the acceleration due to gravity on planet Mercury, if the mas of Mercury is   2  ,  99  ×      10          22        k  g and its radius is   2  ,  42  ×      10          3           k  m. The mass of the object is   10  k  g and the mass of Earth is   6  ×      10          24        k  g and the Radius of the Earth is   3  ,  82  ×      10    3    k  mThis question rather puzzled me because I was not sure if my answer is correct or not but let me proceed :            F      →        =  m            a      →        =      F    g    =  G                    m        1                    m        2                    r      2            m    1    g  =  G                    m        1                    m        2                    r      2      (Note that       m    2   = mass of mercury)  g  =            (      6.673      ×              10                  −          11                                      m          2                          k                      g            2                              )      (      2      ,      99      ×              10                  22                    k      g      )              (      2      ,      42      ×              10                  6                           m              )                  2                    I compute my answer to be   0.34      m          s              2            What really is confusing me is that when I look at my textbook, it shows me the gravitational acceleration due to gravity on mercury to be   3.59      m          s              2            Can someone please explain to me what the answer that I am getting is giving me? My computation was marked correct in a test but I do not understand what this value is giving me.

odvucimo1pp17 · Accepted Answer

That value for the mass of Mercury is not correct.The correct value is   3.3  ×      10          23       kg.

Question regarding calculating acceleration due to gravity on planet Mercury I was asked to calcul

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