Orbits are the result of a perfect balance between the forward motion of a body in space, such as a planet or moon, and the pull of gravity on it from another body in space, such as a large planet or star. These forces of inertia and gravity have to be perfectly balanced for an orbit to happen.
Q. How do you find the kinetic energy of an orbiting satellite?
Kinetic energy in an orbit
Table of Contents
- Q. How do you find the kinetic energy of an orbiting satellite?
- Q. Is kinetic energy constant in circular motion?
- Q. What force holds the moon in orbit?
- Q. Does the moon have centripetal force?
- Q. Why do we not fall off the earth?
- Q. What happens if Earth falls out of orbit?
- Q. Why does the ocean not fall into space?
- Q. What happens to blood in space?
- Q. Has any other country landed on the moon?
- Kinetic energy in orbit = ½ mv2 = + ½GMm/r.
- Total energy of satellite in orbit = -GMm/2r.
- A VERSION IN WORD IS AVAILABLE ON THE SCHOOLPHYSICS USB.
Q. Is kinetic energy constant in circular motion?
When in circular motion, a satellite remains the same distance above the surface of the earth; that is, its radius of orbit is fixed. Furthermore, its speed remains constant. Since kinetic energy is dependent upon the speed of an object, the amount of kinetic energy will be constant throughout the satellite’s motion.
Q. What force holds the moon in orbit?
Gravitational
Q. Does the moon have centripetal force?
There is no centripetal force between the Earth and Moon according to General Relativity.
Q. Why do we not fall off the earth?
Gravity always pulls you towards the middle of the object. So for the Earth, which is shaped like a ball, the force of gravity pulls you to the centre from every point on the ground. That’s why, no matter where you stand on the Earth, you always feel like the ground is at the bottom and the sky is up.
Q. What happens if Earth falls out of orbit?
As I mentioned above, the Earth’s orbital velocity is 30 km/s, which means that if it suddenly stopped, everything on it would still have 30 km/s worth of inertia. Without the outward centripetal force to counteract the inward pull of gravity, the Earth would begin falling towards the sun.
Q. Why does the ocean not fall into space?
Everyone on the planet perceives “down” to mean toward the center of the earth. And the oceans stay in place – slosh some because we rotate, bulge some due to the pull of the moon and sun, evaporate some then get replenished when it rains in the mountains and the rivers feed the oceans – but in general stay in place.
Q. What happens to blood in space?
In space, blood can splatter even more than it usually does on Earth, unconstrained by gravity. Or it can pool into a kind of dome around a wound or incision, making it hard to see the actual trauma. (Fun fact: If you are bleeding more than 100 milliliters per minute, you are probably doomed.
Q. Has any other country landed on the moon?
The United States is the only country to have successfully conducted crewed missions to the Moon, with the last departing the lunar surface in December 1972.
