Assume that mountains higher than 10 km do not exist on Earth because bigger mou
ID: 2305993 • Letter: A
Question
Assume that mountains higher than 10 km do not exist on Earth because bigger mountains could not be supported by the strength of rock at their bases. The pressure at the middle of the base of a mountain is equal to the weight of a column of rock (with unit cross section area) as high as the mountain. The pressure at the base of taller mountains would exceed the strength of the rock and the mountain would slump. For rock of identical density (3000 kg m*) and crushing strength, determine the maximum size cubic asteroid that could you could make out of two identical blocks with dimensions ofL, L and L/2. The two blocks put together make a cube For a larger sized asteroid, the pressure between cubes caused by gravitational attraction would exceed the rock's yield strength and it would flow - forming a more spherical shape. For calculation you can assume that the mass of block is concentrated at its center so that the pressure between the two blocks is just the force between the centers of mass divided by the contact areaExplanation / Answer
If the two blocks of given dimensions as L, L and L/2 are put together and they get attahced with one another to form a cube , we asuume that the mass of the blocks is concentrated at their centres so that the pressure between them wis just due to the force between their center of mass (COM) divided by their contact area.when they joined together forming a cube, the volume of cube thus created will have the dimensions of L, L and L .
Therefore the size of the asteroid will be that of a cube of side length L and volume as L3.