Question

(a)Assuming that only gravity is acting on it, how far does an electron have to be from a proton so that its acceleration is the same as that of a freely falling object at the Earth’s surface?

(b)Suppose the Earth were made up only of protons but had the same size and mass it presently has. What would be the acceleration of an electron released at the surface? Is it necessary to consider the gravitational attractions as well as the electrical force? Explain.

Answer 1

(a) Assuming that only gravity is acting on it, how far does an electron have to be from a proton so that its acceleration is the same as that of a freely falling object at the earth's surface? (b) Suppose the earth were made only of protons but had the same size and mass it presently has. What would be the acceleration of an electron realsed at the surface? Is it necessary to consider the gravitational attraction as well as the electrical force? Why or why not