Question

Asteroid A has a mass of 7.80×1020 kilograms (kg), and asteroid B has a mass of 3.70×1018 kg. Assuming that the same force was applied to both (a shock wave from a supernova, for example), what would be the ratio of A’s acceleration to B’s acceleration?

Answer 1

Answer:

The ratio of asteroid-A’s acceleration to asteroid-B’s acceleration is 37:7800.

Explanation:

Mass of asteroid-A = m =$7.80\times 10^{20} kg$

Mass of asteroid-B = m' = $3.70\times 10^{18} kg$

As we know , Force = mass × Acceleration

1) Force on an asteroid-A

$F = m\times a$

where , a is the acceleration due to force applied on asteroid-A

2) Force on an  asteroid-B

$F' = m'\times a'$

where , a' is the acceleration due to the force applied on asteroid-B

Same force is exerted on the both the asteroids say F.

F = F'

$m\times a=m'\times a'$

$\frac{a}{a'}=\frac{3.70\times 10^{18} kg}{7.80\times 10^{20} kg}=\frac{37}{7800}$

The ratio of asteroid-A’s acceleration to asteroid-B’s acceleration is 37:7800.