How do I calculate the force of gravity in this scenario: The total mass of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge is approximately 1.2*10^9 kg
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To calculate the gravitational force acting on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, we use Newton's formula F equals m times g. The bridge has a mass of 1.2 times 10 to the 9th kilograms, and Earth's gravitational acceleration is 9.8 meters per second squared.
Now let's perform the calculation step by step. First, we identify our given values: mass equals 1.2 times 10 to the 9th kilograms, and gravity equals 9.8 meters per second squared. Next, we apply the formula F equals m times g. Finally, we substitute the values to get F equals 1.2 times 10 to the 9th times 9.8, which equals 1.176 times 10 to the 10th newtons.
The final result is F equals 1.176 times 10 to the 10th newtons, or 11.76 billion newtons. This enormous force represents the bridge's weight - the gravitational pull that Earth exerts on the entire structure. The bridge's foundations and support systems must be engineered to counteract this massive downward force to keep the bridge stable and safe.
To understand the magnitude of this force, imagine that 1.176 times 10 to the 10th newtons is equivalent to the weight of approximately 1.2 million cars, or about 600 elephants per meter of bridge length. This enormous gravitational force demonstrates why bridge engineering requires such careful structural design and robust foundation systems to safely support these massive loads.
In summary, we successfully calculated the gravitational force acting on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge using Newton's formula F equals m times g. With a mass of 1.2 times 10 to the 9th kilograms and Earth's gravity of 9.8 meters per second squared, we found the force to be 1.176 times 10 to the 10th newtons. This calculation is fundamental in structural engineering for designing safe bridges and foundations that can support such enormous gravitational loads.