Two satellites are orbiting the earth. One satellite is twice the mass

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clmajor

New member
of the other. Which is true? a) The two satellites travel at same speed
b) the heavier satellite travesl 2 times faster than the lighter one
c) the lighter satellite travels 2 times faster than the heavier one
d) the heavier satellite travels 4 times faster than the lighter one

why?
 
D

dommeme

New member
are these at the same height?


ok, well, i'll go with a)

they go at the same speed

reason: look at it logically... all the satellites in geo-synchronous orbit travel at the same height - about 33,000 km above the equator - and they all travel at the same speed.. they have to, to stay in the same apparent place in the sky as the earth rotates.
what are the chances that all of these satellites have exactly the same mass.... pretty near zero chance, i guess.
therefore satellites which are already in practical use, travel at the same speed despite having different masses
 
B

bogart033

New member
Remember : Kinetic Energy = MV^2 and Momentum = MV and Rotational Motion = MV^2 / R

In all of these senarios the mass is a multiple of velocity. This means that the HEAVIER one would move twice as fast if:

M1 * V^2 = M2 * V^2 because they should have the same kinetic energy.

if M1 = 1 amd M2 = 2

V^2 = 2 V^2
 
R

RevolverOcelot

New member
i think the lighter one would travel 2 times faster then the heavier one.. because earth would be pulling the heavier one twice as hard as the lighter one, thats only if they were both effected by the same amount of force( to move them around orbit) and if they were exactly as far as each other from the centre of the earth
 
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RevolverOcelot

New member
i think the lighter one would travel 2 times faster then the heavier one.. because earth would be pulling the heavier one twice as hard as the lighter one, thats only if they were both effected by the same amount of force( to move them around orbit) and if they were exactly as far as each other from the centre of the earth
 
R

RevolverOcelot

New member
i think the lighter one would travel 2 times faster then the heavier one.. because earth would be pulling the heavier one twice as hard as the lighter one, thats only if they were both effected by the same amount of force( to move them around orbit) and if they were exactly as far as each other from the centre of the earth
 
B

bogart033

New member
Remember : Kinetic Energy = MV^2 and Momentum = MV and Rotational Motion = MV^2 / R

In all of these senarios the mass is a multiple of velocity. This means that the HEAVIER one would move twice as fast if:

M1 * V^2 = M2 * V^2 because they should have the same kinetic energy.

if M1 = 1 amd M2 = 2

V^2 = 2 V^2
 
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