Satellite (Gravitation) Question

Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
4 replies · 2K views
Destrio
Messages
211
Reaction score
0
A satellite has a orbital period of 5760s around earth. What is the orbital radius?

I'm not sure how I can do this without the velocity or acceleration.

Thanks,
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Is no other information provided in the question?
 
no other information,
however, part of the question might have been cut off
 
EDIt: Never mind...
 
Last edited:
Destrio said:
A satellite has a orbital period of 5760s around earth. What is the orbital radius?

I'm not sure how I can do this without the velocity or acceleration.

Thanks,
I assume they mean that the orbit is circular.

Then simply use
[tex]P = { 2 \pi R \over v}[/tex]

and [tex]m { v^2 \over R} = G { m M \over R^2}[/tex]
where M is the mass of the Earth and m is the mass of the satellite. Then you have two equations for two unknowns: R and v. Which you can then solve.

Patrick