If the radius of the Earth is R and a satellite is in a geostationary orbit, wha
Practice Questions
Q1
If the radius of the Earth is R and a satellite is in a geostationary orbit, what is the height of the satellite above the Earth's surface?
R/2
R
R/3
R/4
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
If the radius of the Earth is R and a satellite is in a geostationary orbit, what is the height of the satellite above the Earth's surface?
Step 1: Understand that the radius of the Earth is denoted as R.
Step 2: Know that a geostationary satellite orbits the Earth at a specific height where it appears to stay in the same position relative to the Earth's surface.
Step 3: The height of a geostationary satellite above the Earth's surface is approximately 36,000 kilometers.
Step 4: To find the total distance from the center of the Earth to the satellite, you need to add the radius of the Earth (R) to the height of the satellite (36,000 km).
Step 5: Therefore, the total distance from the center of the Earth to the satellite is R + 36,000 km.
Geostationary Orbit – A geostationary orbit is a circular orbit around the Earth where a satellite has an orbital period that matches the Earth's rotation period, allowing it to remain fixed over a specific point on the Earth's surface.
Orbital Height Calculation – Understanding how to calculate the height of a satellite above the Earth's surface based on the radius of the Earth and the characteristics of geostationary orbits.