8.12 A rocket is fired from the earth towards the sun. At what distance from the earth’s centre is the gravitational force on the rocket zero? Mass of the sun = 2×1030 kg, mass of the earth = 6×1024 kg. Neglect the effect of other planets etc. (orbital radius = 1.5 × 1011 m).


Given,
Mass of the Sun,  Ms = 2 × 1030 kg
 
Mass of the Earth, Me = 6 × 1024kg
 
Orbital radius, r = 1.5 × 1011 m
 
Let the mass of the rocket be m.

Let x be the distance from the centre of the Earth where the gravitational force acting on satellite P becomes zero.

Then,

GmMs(r-x)2=GmMex2
r-xx2=MsMe
 r-xx=2×103060×1024=577.35
 1.5×1011-x=577.35x
 578.35x=1.5×1011
 x=1.5×1011578.35=2.59×108 m.