Radiation from the Sun reaching Earth (just outside the atmosphere) has an inten

Question

Radiation from the Sun reaching Earth (just outside the atmosphere) has an intensity of 1.43 kW/m^2. (a) Assuming that Earth (and its atmosphere) behaves like a flat disk perpendicular to the Sun's rays and that all the incident energy is absorbed, calculate the force on Earth due to radiation pressure. (b) For comparison, calculate the force due to the Sun's gravitational attraction. Assume that the speed of light and Earth radius are 2.998 times 10^8 m/s and 6.37 thousand km respectively. Number 6.08e8 Units N Number 3.58e26 Units N

Explanation / Answer

(a) Force on earth = IA/C

= 1430**(6.37e6)^2/2.998e8 5.28*10^8 N

= 6.08e8 N

(b) Gravitational force on Earth = Gm1m2/r^2

= 6.67e-11*1. 989e30*5.972e24/(149.6e9)^2

= 3.54e22 N

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse R
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.