how do you calculate the mass of the moon?

mnadz

I need the method, i know the mass already as it is written in text books etc, but what is the actual method.

Reply 1

Punk Phloyd

Circular motion and gravitation equations.

Centripetal force of the circular motion is provided by earth's gravity.

Reply 2

Kinkerz

15

Really big weighing scales, to get the weight. Then convert that into mass :biggrin:

Reply 3

D-Day

10

I bet Google would know :smile:

Reply 4

fL3X

g=Gm/r^2

you need the radius and the gravitational field on the moon and G=6.67x10^-11 m^2 kg^-2 this G is the universal gravitational constant.

radius of the moon = 1 737.4 x10^3 m

g=1.6 N kg^-1 on the moon

m=g x r^2/G

= 7.24x10^22 kg, the reason why it's slightly less here because of the roudning up with G and g.

Reply 5

mnadz

OP

fL3X

g=Gm/r^2

you need the radius and the gravitational field on the moon and G=6.67x10^-11 m^2 kg^-2 this G is the universal gravitational constant.

radius of the moon = 1 737.4 x10^3 m

g=1.6 N kg^-1 on the moon

m=g x r^2/G

= 7.24x10^22 kg, the reason why it's slightly less here because of the roudning up with G and g.

Thanks a billion, finally got it. I spent like two hours using these equations but i ended up using g=9.81 and not 1.6. Cheers.

Reply 6

cteerlink

g=1.6 N kg^-1 on the moon << How determined?

Reply 7

cteerlink

How determined g on the moon?

Reply 8

Stonebridge

13

The value of "g" on the Moon is calculated from a knowledge of the mass of the Moon; not the other way round.
The mass of the Moon is calculated nowadays from observation of the motion of lunar orbiters. The first such accurate calculations were made in the 60s.

(edited 11 years ago)

how do you calculate the mass of the moon?

Related discussions

Articles for you