Tagged Questions
5
votes
2answers
212 views
What is the largest sphere of liquid water that could exist in space held together under it's own gravity? [duplicate]
What is the largest theoretical sphere of liquid water that could exist in space held together under it's own gravity? I've always wondered if a planet the size of earth could exist as a single volume ...
1
vote
2answers
38 views
Solar Catastrophe [duplicate]
Consider all of sudden the sun vanishes. What would happen to planetary motion. Will it continue to move in elliptical path or move in a tangential to the orbit immediately after sun vanishes or move ...
3
votes
2answers
132 views
Could a planet sized bubble of breatheable atmostphere exist?
I'm reading a book (Sun of Suns by Karl Schroeder) that the main location is a planet called Virga, which contains air, water, and floating chunks of rock, and has no or a very small amount of ...
3
votes
1answer
70 views
Does the Earth have a semi-solid body at its core because of lower pressure at the center of the Earth?
I have read that the Earth has a semi-solid iron body at its core, even though that object is surrounded by liquid magma.... I'm wondering if this is because of a pressure (and resulting temperature) ...
2
votes
1answer
115 views
Planetary Gravity and its effects
This is my first question on the Physics portion of Stack Exchange. I was hoping to get some light on the topic of gravity. I don't have much background knowledge of physics so I might as well start ...
42
votes
5answers
2k views
Is there a small enough planet or asteroid you can orbit by jumping?
I just had this idea of orbiting a planet just by jumping and then flying upon it on its orbit kind of like superman. So,
Would it be theoretically possible or is there a chance of that small body to ...
1
vote
0answers
60 views
What is the critical mass of a planet to have an atmosphere like Earth's?
Small planets/orbits like Moon cannot have atmosphere because of their masses. They don't have enough gravity to hold an atmosphere. Then what is the critical mass that makes enough gravity to keep an ...
1
vote
1answer
714 views
What is the relationship between mass, speed and distance of a planet orbiting the sun?
After reading this fascinating story about a new exoplanet, I was wondering about how mass, speed and distance determine a circular orbit of a planet around a star.
Given the mass of the sun and ...
0
votes
1answer
307 views
Atmospheric Escape of Gas Molecules
Most of the Bodies and Objects in space are likely to have an atmosphere. Since the space is empty, the gases in atmosphere should have either dissolved or emptied into space. But, Why doesn't this ...
1
vote
3answers
161 views
The theory of moon creation when a Mars size planet hit Earth
As we know the predominant theory where does the moon come from is that a Mars size planet hit the earth and took a chunk out of it which eventually materialized into moon.
My question is that if a ...
2
votes
2answers
794 views
How gravitation effect on tides
I know that tide is caused by the gravitational pull of moon but what I don't know is how it effects on water. I have actually these doubts.
Why does gravity of the moon creates tides only in water?
...
4
votes
2answers
557 views
Lowest gravity on Earth's surface?
I am trying to determine which on Earth's surface has the lowest gravity. Googling is not finding anything concrete. My natural inclination would be to think of Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador, being on ...
-1
votes
1answer
73 views
How can you calculate the exact position of the Earth taking into account the gravitational attraction of Mars and the Sun?
I think there must be a formula to calculate the exact position of the Earth taking into account the gravitational attraction of Mars and the Sun. Is it possible with vectors?
4
votes
1answer
187 views
Does the Moon's orbital inclination follow the wobble in the Earth's rotation?
As the Earth wobbles during rotation, does the higher gravity at the equator tend to pull the moon toward an equatorial orbit even as the earth does that thousands of years wobble cycle? It would ...
6
votes
1answer
258 views
Why does Jupiter emit more energy than it receives?
I hear that Jupiter and Saturn emit more energy than they receive from the Sun.
This excess energy is supposedly due to contraction.
Is this accepted as fact (or is it controversial)?
Does this ...
3
votes
2answers
37 views
How could they tell things weigh a sixth of their “Earth weight” on the moon?
I frequently keep hearing stuff about "gravity on the moon is only a sixth of that as Earth's" and "of course you'll weigh more on Jupiter". I do know the relative sizes of those bodies allow for ...
4
votes
1answer
493 views
Finding the position of a planet between two other planets of known mass and distance
Here is the question:
A planet with mass $m$ and a second with mass $M$ are separated by a
distance $d$. A third planet with mass $m_3$ happens to be midway
between $M$ and $m$. Where could ...
5
votes
1answer
226 views
Determining Average Tidal Effects
Maximum tidal heights vary widely across the globe, from 16 m in the Bay of Fundy to mere centimeters elsewhere. These variations are due to coastline and shoreline differences. This makes it ...
18
votes
4answers
1k views
Would you be weightless at the center of the Earth?
If you could travel to the center of the Earth (or any planet), would you be weightless there?
