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 1400 W/m2.

a) What would the intensity be at Mercury?

b) 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.

c) What would it be for Mercury?

d) What is the force on Mercury due to the sun's gravitational attraction?

I'll rate you! Please show steps and variables. Thanks!

Explanation / Answer

1. Intensity at Pluto = 1400/(39.48^2) = 0.900 W/m^2[Distance of Pluto from Sun 39.48 AU] 2. Radiation pressure = I/c =1400/(3*10^8) Force on earth = [pi*(6.0*10^6)^2*1400]/(3*10^8) N = 5.28*10^8 N 3. Force on Pluto = (5.28*10^8)*(0.900/14000)*(1.180/6.0)^2 = 1.31*10^4 N 4. Gravitational force on Earth = [(6.67*10^-11)*(1.989*10^30)*(6.0*10^24)… = 3.58*10^26 N 5. Gravitational force on Pluto = (3.58*10^26)/[(39.48^2)*(600/1.3)] = 4.97*10^20 N {mass of Pluto = 1.3*10^22 kg)

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