Radius of synchronous satellite from a planet

AI Thread Summary
To determine the radius of a synchronous satellite orbiting a planet similar to Jupiter, the planet's rotation period, mass, and radius are essential. The satellite must maintain a fixed position above the equator, requiring calculations based on Kepler's 3rd law. The initial calculation involved converting the rotation period from hours to seconds and applying the gravitational constant. The correct approach involves finding the distance from the planet's center and then subtracting the planet's radius to find the height above the surface. This method successfully solved the problem, confirming the importance of understanding orbital mechanics.
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[SOLVED] radius of synchronous satellite from a planet

Homework Statement


A "synchronous" satellite, which always remains above the same point on a planet's equator, is put in orbit about a planet similar to Jupiter. This planet rotates once every 7.8h, has a mass of 1.8e27kg and a radius of 6.99e7. Given that G = 6.67e-11 calculate how far above jupiter's surface the satellite must be.


Homework Equations


Kepler's 3rd law


The Attempt at a Solution


well I converted the 7.8 hours to seconds which was 28080 seconds, then did (28080^2*g*1.8e27)/4pi^2, then took the cube root of all that. However that's not right. Any ideas?
 
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The expression you used yields the distance between the center the planet and the satellite. You were asked for the height of the satellite above the surface to the planet.
 
oh so I just need to subtract the planet's radius from my answer?
 
yes that worked thank you very much
 
You're welcome.
 
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