Calculate the speed of aircraft

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the speed of an aircraft flying at an altitude of 10 km, specifically under the condition that the sun appears stationary in the sky. The problem touches on concepts related to the Earth's rotation and the effects of altitude on perceived motion.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the relationship between the aircraft's speed and the Earth's rotation, questioning how altitude affects this speed. Some suggest that the altitude is relevant for calculating the radius of the circular path the aircraft follows. Others raise the importance of latitude in determining speed, noting that it could significantly influence the calculations.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with various interpretations being explored. Participants have raised critical points regarding missing information, such as latitude, and the relevance of altitude. There is no clear consensus, but several lines of reasoning are being examined, including logical deductions based on time zones and the nature of the problem.

Contextual Notes

There are indications that the original poster did not attempt a solution, which has led to some participants expressing frustration. Additionally, the discussion highlights the potential for misunderstanding the problem's requirements, emphasizing the need for clarity in the question posed.

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An aircraft flying at an altitude of 10 km finds that the sun is stationary in the sky. Calculate the speed of aircraft.
 
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Seems like he would be flying as fast as the Earth is spinning. Of course he would have to be going a little faster because he is higher up than the surface of the earth.

edit - Oh no, my post has committed some sort of 'Infraction' ! wtf? I guess my thoughts are no good. lol
 
Last edited:
Please clarify! Whats the altitude given for??
 
The infraction is that there was no attempt from the OP at a solution!
 
OP,
Use the altidude to find the radius of the circle the plane is flying around.

How long must it take to complete the full circle? If you can answer those questions you can find the speed of the plane.
 
There is a critical piece of info missing: latitude. A plane at 89 degrees latitude will be moving significantly slower than a plane at 0 degrees latitude.
 
This is just a logic problem more than numbers really. Given the sun is rising here at say 5 AM PST, it's rising at 5 AM EST [9 AM PST].

That's 4 hours, simply by that we can just get a general idea of how fast it would need to go from here to there. Even then, we can just look at the next time zone and confirm if it's true.

I feel the 10 km in the air doesn't matter; but I could be wrong =).
 
DaveC426913 said:
There is a critical piece of info missing: latitude. A plane at 89 degrees latitude will be moving significantly slower than a plane at 0 degrees latitude.

AngeloG said:
This is just a logic problem more than numbers really. Given the sun is rising here at say 5 AM PST, it's rising at 5 AM EST [9 AM PST].

That's 4 hours, simply by that we can just get a general idea of how fast it would need to go from here to there. Even then, we can just look at the next time zone and confirm if it's true.

I feel the 10 km in the air doesn't matter; but I could be wrong =).

Hey! Please psot only if you know exactly about the question's demand. Please don't misguide!
 
Integral said:
OP,
Use the altidude to find the radius of the circle the plane is flying around.

How long must it take to complete the full circle? If you can answer those questions you can find the speed of the plane.

First please clarify this point. If I just rise up to a certain height and stop. Will I move further due to rotation?
 
  • #10
ritwik06 said:
Hey! Please psot only if you know exactly about the question's demand. Please don't misguide!
Well, you will need the latitude, otherwise you can't figure out the speed.
 

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