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The planet Mars has a mean radius 3400 km and has a mass 9.3 times smaller than the mass of the Earth - OCR - A-Level Physics A - Question 3 - 2017 - Paper 1
Question 3
The planet Mars has a mean radius 3400 km and has a mass 9.3 times smaller than the mass of the Earth. The mean radius of the Earth is 6400 km. (a) Show that the gr... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:The planet Mars has a mean radius 3400 km and has a mass 9.3 times smaller than the mass of the Earth - OCR - A-Level Physics A - Question 3 - 2017 - Paper 1
Step 1
Discuss the accuracy of this calculation for s.
Answer
The calculation of maximum height using the formula ( v^2 = u^2 + 2as ) assumes constant acceleration due to gravity. However, it is important to consider the following:
- Variation in Gravitational Field: The gravitational field strength is assumed to be constant, which may not be accurate at large heights (2000 km) where the field can vary significantly.
- Air Resistance: The calculation neglects the effects of air resistance. Although Mars has a thin atmosphere, any projectile would still experience some drag force, which would affect its ascent and maximum height. Therefore, while the equation provides an estimate, it may not accurately predict the maximum height in this context.