An Asteroid Approaches Earth So That When It Is Very

question 44

Multiple Choice

An asteroid approaches Earth so that when it is very far away it is traveling with a speed of 6500 m/s along a line that would miss the center of Earth by 8,500,000 m. Because of the gravitational attraction of Earth, it departs from this straight line and curves towards Earth, colliding with it. In what direction, below the local horizontal, is the asteroid traveling when it hits Earth? The mass of Earth is 5.97 × 10²⁴ kg and G = 6.67 x 10^-11 N·m²/kg².

• A) 48°
• B) 58°
• C) 68°
• D) 78°
• E) 88°

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Definitions:

Lignin-Reinforced

Lignin-Reinforced refers to plant tissues strengthened by lignin, a complex organic polymer that provides rigidity and resistance to decay.

Vascular Tissues

The specialized tissues in plants that conduct water, nutrients, and photosynthates across different parts of the plant.

Bryophytes

A group of non-vascular plants including mosses, liverworts, and hornworts, characterized by their life cycle alternating between gametophyte and sporophyte generations.

True Wood

The hard, fibrous tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants, made up primarily of cellulose, lignin, and hemicellulose.