Calculating the Angular Momentum of a Moon Orbiting an Earth-like Planet

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves calculating the angular momentum of a moon orbiting an Earth-like planet, with specific parameters provided such as mass, orbital period, and radius. The context is rooted in classical mechanics, particularly in the study of rotational motion and orbital dynamics.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss various methods for calculating angular momentum, including the use of translational and angular velocities. There are questions about the appropriate formulas and whether the correct parameters were used, particularly regarding the radius and the distinction between orbital and rotational angular momentum.

Discussion Status

Some participants have offered alternative approaches to the calculation, suggesting that the angular momentum could be computed in a more straightforward manner. There is an ongoing exploration of the definitions and formulas relevant to the problem, with no explicit consensus reached yet.

Contextual Notes

Participants are navigating potential misunderstandings regarding the moment of inertia and its application to the problem, as well as clarifying the distinction between the angular momentum of the moon's rotation and its orbital motion.

AdnamaLeigh
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There is a moon orbiting an Earth-like planet. The mass of the moon is 4.77e22 kg, the center-to-center separation of the planet and the moon is 616000 km, the orbital period of the moon is 25.6 days, and the radius of the moon is 1590 km. What is the angular momentum of the moon about the planet?

I found the period to be 2211840 seconds.

I then used the foruma v = 2πr/T :
2π(616000000)/2211840 = 1749.874 m/s

I changed the translational velocity to angular velocity with v=rω:
1749.874=616000000ω = 2.8407e-6 (Did I use the correct radius? Maybe that's my error)

I found inertia with I=(2/5)mr^2:
I=(2/5)(4.77x10^22)(1590000^2) = 4.8236x10^34

Finally I found momentum with L=Iω:
L=(4.8236x10^34)(2.8407x10^-6) = 1.370 x 10^29

My answer is wrong. I'm assuming that the moon is spherical so I used that particular equation for inertia.
 
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I didn't check your numbers but I think you could have done it all in one step with [itex]L = mr^2\omega[/itex].
 
Last edited:
How is that true? Why would I=mr?
 
AdnamaLeigh said:
I found inertia with I=(2/5)mr^2:
I=(2/5)(4.77x10^22)(1590000^2) = 4.8236x10^34

This is the moment of inertia for the rotation of the moon. It asked you to find the angular momentum of the orbit, not the rotation. I think Tide's post had a typo, the angular momentum of the orbit is given by

[tex]L=m\omega r^2=mvr[/tex]
 
Thanks for catching that, ST! I'll correct it.
 

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