Calculating Orbital Speed and Period of a Weightless Satellite

In summary, the problem is asking to calculate the orbital speed and period of an artificial satellite at a certain height above Earth's surface, so that a person inside will experience weightlessness. However, the concept of weightlessness is ambiguous in this scenario, as the person's center of mass will always be the same as the satellite's and Earth's gravity extends to infinity.
  • #1
missnuss
8
0
1. Homework Statement : An artificial satellite revolves about the Earth at height H above the surface. If the radius of the Earth is R, calculate the orbital speed and the orbital period such that a person in the satellite will be weightless.



Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution

Alright, I have I= [tex]\sum[/tex] H ri^2 = [tex]\sum[/tex] HR^2= ([tex]\sum[/tex])R^2 = MR^2
 
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  • #2
The problem doesn't make sense. A person in a satellite will always seem weightless, because his center of mass coincides almost exactly with the satellite's, so he'll experience almost exactly the same acceleration for all time. A person in a satellite will also never be weightless, since Earth's gravity extends to infinity.
 

Related to Calculating Orbital Speed and Period of a Weightless Satellite

1. How do you calculate the orbital speed of a weightless satellite?

The orbital speed of a weightless satellite can be calculated using the formula v = √(GM/r), where v is the orbital speed, G is the gravitational constant, M is the mass of the central body, and r is the distance between the satellite and the central body.

2. What is the formula for calculating the period of a weightless satellite?

The period of a weightless satellite can be calculated using the formula T = 2π√(r³/GM), where T is the orbital period, r is the distance between the satellite and the central body, G is the gravitational constant, and M is the mass of the central body.

3. How does the mass of the central body affect the orbital speed and period of a weightless satellite?

The mass of the central body has a direct effect on the orbital speed and period of a weightless satellite. A larger mass will result in a stronger gravitational pull, increasing the orbital speed and decreasing the orbital period. Conversely, a smaller mass will result in a weaker gravitational pull, decreasing the orbital speed and increasing the orbital period.

4. Can the orbital speed and period of a weightless satellite change over time?

Yes, the orbital speed and period of a weightless satellite can change over time due to various factors such as external forces, atmospheric drag, and gravitational influences from other celestial bodies. However, in a perfectly circular orbit, the orbital speed and period will remain constant.

5. How is the speed and period of a weightless satellite affected by the distance from the central body?

The speed of a weightless satellite is directly proportional to the square root of the distance from the central body, while the period is directly proportional to the cube root of the distance from the central body. This means that as the distance increases, the orbital speed decreases, and the orbital period increases.

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