Concepts Of Physics MCQ Edition [Volume 1]PhysicsGravitation
A satellite moves in a circular orbit with an angular speed equal to the angular speed of the earth's rotation. If the satellite is directly above the north pole at a certain instant, determine the time it takes to arrive over the equatorial plane. The mass of the earth is 6 10²⁴ kg .
Options
- A3 hours
- B24 hours
- C6 hours
- D12 hours
Correct answer
C. 6 hours
Step-by-step solution
The angular speed of the satellite is equal to the angular speed of the Earth's rotation. Let the angular speed of the satellite be . The time period of the Earth's rotation is T = 24 hours . = 2 T = 2 24 rad/hour The satellite is in a circular orbit passing over the north pole. Since the center of any satellite's orbit must coincide with the center of the Earth, the orbit is a polar orbit. The angular displacement from the north pole to the equatorial plane is 2 radians. The time t taken by the satellite to reach