This problem is closely related to the spectacular impact of the comet Shoemaker-Levy with Jupiter in July 1994: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/sl9/sl9.html A rock far outside our Solar System is initially...

This problem is closely related to the spectacular impact of the comet Shoemaker-Levy with Jupiter in July 1994:

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/sl9/sl9.html

A rock far outside our Solar System is initially moving very slowly relative to the Sun, in the plane of Jupiter's orbit around

the Sun. The rock falls toward the Sun, but on its way to the Sun it collides with Jupiter. Calculate the rock's speed just

before colliding with Jupiter. Explain your calculation and any approximations that you make.

MSun = 2 × 1030 kg, MJupiter = 2 × 1027 kg

Distance, Sun to Jupiter = 8 × 1011 m

Radius of Jupiter = 1.4 × 108 m