Answer :
The weight of an object varies inversely with the square of the distance from the center of the earth. By applying this principle, the asteroid's weight on the surface of the earth can be calculated as around 200 pounds.
To find the weight on the surface of the Earth, we use the inverse square law: doubling the distance from the center of the Earth to the surface leads to a weight that is four times as much, making the asteroid weigh 200 pounds.
The weight of an object varies inversely as the square of the distance from the center of the Earth. If an asteroid weighs 50 pounds at 8000 miles from the center of the Earth, then its weight on the surface of the Earth can be determined using the inverse square law of gravitation.
The radius of the Earth is about 4000 miles, so the distance from the center of the Earth to the surface is half of the distance the asteroid is at during the initial measurement.
According to the inverse square law of gravitation, weight is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the center of the Earth. So, if the distance is halved (from 8000 to 4000 miles), the weight is increased by a factor of (2)^2, which is 4.
Hence, the asteroid would weigh 50 pounds * 4, which is 200 pounds on the surface of the Earth.
