How Do You Calculate Orbital Speed Using Kepler's Laws?

  • Thread starter Thread starter vle1
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Space
AI Thread Summary
To calculate orbital speed using Kepler's laws, start by determining the period of the orbit, which allows for the application of Kepler's third law to find the semimajor axis. Once the semimajor axis is known, you can calculate the total energy of the orbit using a formula that incorporates the semimajor axis and the involved masses. This total energy can then be equated to the kinetic and potential energy expressions, specifically 1/2 m v^2 - G m M / r, where r is the distance from the center of the Earth. Solving this equation will yield the required orbital speed. Understanding these principles is essential for accurately calculating orbital dynamics.
vle1
Messages
6
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/2716/question11mediumjj8.jpg

This was an extra question for final exam some years ago, i hope that some one can direct me to obtain the right answer. I could not good find equations that I learn to answer this
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
Navigate: Mechanics -> Orbits -> Kepler's laws. Then scroll down for more info on the subject on the page that you land on.

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/hframe.html"

Note that Kepler's third law is also applicable to the circular orbit of the space station.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
vle1 said:

Homework Statement



http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/2716/question11mediumjj8.jpg

This was an extra question for final exam some years ago, i hope that some one can direct me to obtain the right answer. I could not good find equations that I learn to answer this


You know the period you want.

Use Kepler's third law to find the semimajor axis of the orbit you need.

Once you know the semimajor axis, you know the total energy you will have at any point of your orbit (there is a simple formula giving the total energy at any point of an orbit in terms of the semimajor axis and the masses).

Now set that energy equal to 1/2 m v^2 - G m M /r where r is the initial distance from the center of the Earth. That will give you the speed you need.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Kindly see the attached pdf. My attempt to solve it, is in it. I'm wondering if my solution is right. My idea is this: At any point of time, the ball may be assumed to be at an incline which is at an angle of θ(kindly see both the pics in the pdf file). The value of θ will continuously change and so will the value of friction. I'm not able to figure out, why my solution is wrong, if it is wrong .
Thread 'Voltmeter readings for this circuit with switches'
TL;DR Summary: I would like to know the voltmeter readings on the two resistors separately in the picture in the following cases , When one of the keys is closed When both of them are opened (Knowing that the battery has negligible internal resistance) My thoughts for the first case , one of them must be 12 volt while the other is 0 The second case we'll I think both voltmeter readings should be 12 volt since they are both parallel to the battery and they involve the key within what the...
Back
Top