You have not told us the question, or anything we need to know about the planet. Please post the full statement of the problem.lizzyb said:A planet is hit by an asteroid whose mass is M, velocity v, and it's velocity vector is 22 degrees below the Eastward horizontal. The planet has a radius R.
I used the equation [tex]l = r m v sin \phi[/tex] but the answer was wrong. Am I not doing this correctly?
That angle theta is not the angle theta in your problem! That angle theta is the angle between the linear momentum (mv) and the radius vector (r). But in your problem, theta is the angle between linear momentum and the perpendicular to the radius (east is tangent to the Earth's surface).lizzyb said:It's in my book; "The direction of the angular momentum vector in [a figure] is parallel to the z axis, in the direction of increasing z. The magnitude of this vector is given by [tex]l = r m v \sin \theta[/tex]."
Angular momentum is a property of a rotating object that measures the amount of rotational motion it possesses. It is a vector quantity that depends on the mass, velocity, and distance from the axis of rotation of the object.
Asteroids, being celestial bodies, also possess angular momentum due to their rotational motion. The angular momentum of an asteroid is determined by its mass, velocity, and distance from its axis of rotation.
Yes, the angular momentum of an asteroid can change due to external forces acting on it. For example, if a comet collides with an asteroid, it can transfer its angular momentum to the asteroid, causing it to change its rotational motion.
The angular momentum of an asteroid can be calculated using the formula L = Iω, where L is the angular momentum, I is the moment of inertia, and ω is the angular velocity. The moment of inertia can be calculated using the mass and distance of the asteroid from its axis of rotation.
The angular momentum of an asteroid is important because it plays a crucial role in the dynamics of the solar system. It affects the trajectory and stability of an asteroid's orbit, and can also impact the formation and evolution of the asteroid itself.