Using Integrals to Calculate the Rotational Energy of Earth

In summary, the rotational kinetic energy of a spinning object is found by integrating the rotational kinetic energy over the surface of the object.
  • #1
matai
6
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So I found the linear velocity by using the circumference of the Earth which I found to be 2pi(637800= 40014155.89meters. Then the time of one full rotation was 1436.97 minutes, which I then converted to 86164.2 seconds. giving me the linear velocity to be 465.0905584 meters/second. I know that this is the orbital motion and I need the rotational

I found an old forum saying to use use density * Δvolume for mass, and the linear velocity with the formula KE=½mv^2. Then, integrate over the volume of the earth, i found that to be 108.321 × 10^10 km^3. So, my integral was something like this:
∫(½(465.0905584)^2(5514)dv
a=0, b=108.321 × 10^10

I ended up with 6.46005E20. I don' think is right for some reason.

I tried again with the integral:
∫(½(465.0905584)^2(5514*v)dv
a=0, b=108.321 × 10^10
and got 3.49878E32. I'm not sure if either one is right.
 
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  • #2
matai said:
I know that this is the orbital motion and I need the rotational
So you have the rotational speed of the Earth, What is an expression for the rotational energy of a spinning object? There is no need to integrate if you know the moment of inertia.
 
  • #3
matai said:
So I found the linear velocity by using the circumference of the Earth which I found to be 2pi(637800= 40014155.89meters. Then the time of one full rotation was 1436.97 minutes, which I then converted to 86164.2 seconds. giving me the linear velocity to be 465.0905584 meters/second. I know that this is the orbital motion and I need the rotational
That's the tangential speed of something at the equator due to the Earth's rotation. But different parts of the Earth will move at different speeds.

Read up on rotational velocity, inertia, and kinetic energy. Start here: Rotational Kinetic Energy
 
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  • #4
kuruman said:
So you have the rotational speed of the Earth, What is an expression for the rotational energy of a spinning object? There is no need to integrate if you know the moment of inertia.
How are you planning to find the moment of inertia without integrating?
 
  • #5
kuruman said:
So you have the rotational speed of the Earth, What is an expression for the rotational energy of a spinning object? There is no need to integrate if you know the moment of inertia.

The assignment requires an integral.
 
  • #6
Orodruin said:
How are you planning to find the moment of inertia without integrating?
So are you saying that I have found the moment of inertia, and that I need to plug in it into the KE formula?
 
  • #7
matai said:
The assignment requires an integral.
Yes, sorry, I missed that part because I didn't read the title carefully enough.
matai said:
So are you saying that I have found the moment of inertia, and that I need to plug in it into the KE formula?
Actually, I think the problem expects you to find the kinetic energy of a mass element ##dm## at radius ##r## and integrate to find the total KE.
Start from ##d(KE)=\frac{1}{2}dm ~v^2##. Eventually, you will have to do a radial integral which means you will have to re-express ##dm## and ##v## in terms of the radius.
 
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What is rotational energy?

Rotational energy is the kinetic energy associated with the rotation of an object. In the case of Earth, it is the energy that keeps the Earth rotating on its axis.

How is rotational energy calculated?

The rotational energy of an object can be calculated using the formula E = 1/2 * I * ω^2, where E is the rotational energy, I is the moment of inertia, and ω is the angular velocity.

How is the moment of inertia of Earth calculated?

The moment of inertia of an object is a measure of its resistance to rotational motion. For a solid sphere like Earth, the moment of inertia can be calculated using the formula I = 2/5 * m * r^2, where m is the mass of the object and r is the radius.

What is the angular velocity of Earth?

The angular velocity of Earth is the rate at which it rotates on its axis, which is approximately 0.00007 radians/second. This value can vary slightly due to factors such as tidal forces and plate tectonics.

Why is calculating the rotational energy of Earth important?

Calculating the rotational energy of Earth is important because it helps us understand the dynamics of our planet and its rotation. It also has practical applications in fields such as geodesy and geophysics.

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