Find the Ek of a satilite in orbit

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the kinetic energy (Ek) of a satellite in orbit, given its mass and the acceleration due to gravity. Participants explore the relationship between gravitational force and centripetal force in the context of orbital mechanics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to equate centripetal force and gravitational force but struggles with the absence of the radius. Some participants suggest using Newton's law of gravitation to find the radius, while others inquire about the steps involved in the calculations.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the problem, with some offering guidance on deriving the radius from gravitational force. There is a mix of interpretations and approaches being discussed, and while some steps have been clarified, there is no explicit consensus on the final solution.

Contextual Notes

There is a noted difficulty due to missing information, specifically the radius of the orbit, which is crucial for solving the problem. Additionally, participants are navigating the constraints of homework rules regarding the level of assistance that can be provided.

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How do you find the Ek of a satilite in orbit with only its mass and acceleration due to gravity?

I did something like..

Fc = Fg
mv²/r = mg <-- g = the acceleration due to gravity

but then i don't have a radius...

How do i solve this?
 
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Edit: After reading more carefully, you'll need to equate Newton's expression for gravitational force with the given mg force to determine the radius.

--J
 
Mind elaborating on that?
 
F = Gmm/r² ?
 
Yup.

--J

blah blah blah post too short my--
 
I keep getting Ek = 7.44x10^10 but its 2.99x10^9

?
 
Last edited:
Did you do this?

[tex]a = \frac{v^2}{R} \Rightarrow v^2 = aR[/tex]

R = ?

[tex]F = ma \Rightarrow \frac{GM_{earth}m}{R^2} = ma \Rightarrow R = \sqrt{\frac{GM_{earth}}{a}}[/tex]

[tex]\Rightarrow E_k = \frac{1}{2}ma\sqrt{\frac{GM_{earth}}{a}}[/tex]
 
Ah now i get it! Thanks for actually showing the steps it really helps lol.
 
No problem. I guess it's okay for me to show you the steps after you've tried to do the problem on your own. But please make sure you understand each of these steps perfectly, otherwise you're not getting out smarter out of this.
 

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