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-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l@lists.nau.edu: Forum for Physics Educators
[mailto:PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu]On Behalf Of Paul O. Johnson
Sent: Monday, January 29, 2001 9:52 PM
To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
Subject: Re: Mass of Jupiter
The mass of any satellite orbiting a central object (M) is proportional to
the cube of the orbital radius (r) and is inversely proportional to the
square of the orbital period (T). The relationship is
M = 4(pi)*2 r*3/G T*2
where G is the universal gravitational constant.
This is derived by equating the centripetal and gravitational
forces acting
on the satellite
So the mass of any planet can be calculated from measured values of its
average distance from the sun and its orbital period.