Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 81 views

    Rich Mathematical Problems in Astronomy

    Uploaded by

    asljdkf
    This document contains information about calculating orbital parameters such as velocity and escape velocity using Newton's laws of motion and universal gravitation. It includes examples of using these calculations to determine the mass of Earth from the moon's orbit and calculating Earth's escape velocity. The document recommends the Space Math website for additional astronomy math problems but notes that the site will no longer be updated frequently due to NASA education budget cuts.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Rich Mathematical Problems in Astronomy

    Uploaded by

    asljdkf
    81 views26 pages
    This document contains information about calculating orbital parameters such as velocity and escape velocity using Newton's laws of motion and universal gravitation. It includes examples of using these calculations to determine the mass of Earth from the moon's orbit and calculating Earth's escape velocity. The document recommends the Space Math website for additional astronomy math problems but notes that the site will no longer be updated frequently due to NASA education budget cuts.

    Original Description:

    astro problems

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    This document contains information about calculating orbital parameters such as velocity and escape velocity using Newton's laws of motion and universal gravitation. It includes examples of using these calculations to determine the mass of Earth from the moon's orbit and calculating Earth's escape velocity. The document recommends the Space Math website for additional astronomy math problems but notes that the site will no longer be updated frequently due to NASA education budget cuts.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    81 views26 pages

    Rich Mathematical Problems in Astronomy

    Uploaded by

    asljdkf
    This document contains information about calculating orbital parameters such as velocity and escape velocity using Newton's laws of motion and universal gravitation. It includes examples of using these calculations to determine the mass of Earth from the moon's orbit and calculating Earth's escape velocity. The document recommends the Space Math website for additional astronomy math problems but notes that the site will no longer be updated frequently due to NASA education budget cuts.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    of 26

    Sandra Miller and Stephanie Smith

    Lamar High School


    Arlington, TX
    This problem is
    designed to occur
    during a Geometry
    unit on circles.

    A line tangent to a
    circle forms a right
    angle with a radius
    drawn at the point
    of tangency.
    r radius of the
    d planet/moon
    h height of the
    h r
    observer (eyes)
    r
    d distance to the
    horizon
    r radius of the
    d planet/moon
    h height of the
    h r
    observer (eyes)
    r
    d distance to the
    horizon


    2
    d r h r 2

    d r 2 2rh h2 r 2
    d h 2r h
    Object Radius Horizon
    Earth 3959 mi. 3 mi.
    Moon 1080 mi.
    Mars 2106 mi.
    Jupiter 43,441 mi.
    Object Radius Horizon
    Earth 3959 mi. 3 mi.
    Moon 1080 mi. 1.6 mi.
    Mars 2106 mi. 2.2 mi.
    Jupiter 43,441 mi. 9.9 mi.
    This
    problem set is geared toward a Pre-AP
    Algebra I class or an Algebra II class.

    Byworking through this packet, a student


    will practice
    Simplifying literal equations
    Creating formulas
    Unit conversions
    Using formulas to solve problems
    Sir Isaac Newton developed three equations
    that we will use to develop some interesting
    information about the solar system.
    When a force F acts on a body of mass m, it
    F ma produces in it an acceleration a equal to
    the force divided by the mass.
    2 The centripetal acceleration a of any body
    v moving in a circular orbit is equal to the
    a square of its velocity v divided by the
    r radius r of the orbit.
    The grativational force F between two
    Gm1m2 objects is proportional to the product of
    F their two masses, divided by the distance
    r2 between them.
    Ifwe substitute the formula for centripetal
    acceleration into the F = ma equation, we
    have an equation for the orbital force:
    v 2 mv 2
    F m
    r r

    The gravitational force that the object being


    orbited exerts on its satellite is
    GmM
    F 2
    r
    Objects that are in orbit stay in orbit
    because the force required to keep them
    there is equal to the gravitational force that
    the object being orbited exerts on its
    satellite.

    Ifwe set our two equations equal to each


    other and solve for v, we end up with a
    formula that will give us the orbital speed of
    the satellite.
    Simplify the equation and solve for v:
    mv 2 GmM
    2
    r r
    Simplify the equation and solve for v:
    mv 2 GmM
    2
    r r
    GmM
    mv
    2

    r
    Gm
    v
    2

    r
    GM
    v
    r
    Because the mass of the satellite m
    cancelled out of the equation, if we know
    the orbital velocity and the radius of the
    orbit, we can find the mass of the object
    being orbited.
    Rewrite the velocity equation and solve for
    M:

    GM
    v
    2

    r
    Rewrite the velocity equation and solve for
    M:

    GM
    v
    2

    r
    v 2r GM
    v 2r
    M
    G
    Example: Use the Moon to calculate the
    mass of the Earth.

    Orbital radius: r 3.84 108 m


    Period: T = 27.3 days

    circumference of orbit
    Orbital velocity: v
    period of orbit
    Example: Use the Moon to calculate the
    mass of the Earth.

    2r
    v
    T
    2 3.84 108

    24 hours 3600 seconds
    27.3
    1 day 1 hour

    1023 m s
    Example: Use the Moon to calculate the
    mass of the Earth.

    v 2r G 6.67 10 11 N m2
    M 2
    G kg

    6.02 10 24
    kg
    Tocalculate escape velocity, we set the
    equation for kinetic energy to the equation
    for gravitational force and solve for v:

    Kinetic energy > Force distance


    1 GmM
    mv 2
    2
    r
    2 r
    2GM
    v
    2

    r
    2GM
    v
    r
    Calculate Earths escape velocity in km/s.

    Earths mass: 6.02 1024 kg


    Earths radius: 6.38 106 m

    v 11.22 km s
    Now that weve worked through the different
    equations, we can calculate the mass and
    escape velocity of Mars as well as the mass
    of the Sun.
    One of my favorite
    sites for possible
    astronomy-related
    math problems has
    been Space Math at
    http://spacemath.gsfc.nasa.gov.

    Unfortunately, because of cutbacks in


    NASAs education budget, it will not be
    updated as frequently.
    Invert the
    problem

    Ask for an
    Ask for
    explanation:
    prediction
    oral or written

    Examples or
    Break into
    counter-
    multiple parts
    examples
    Original
    (Standard)
    Problem

    Ask for
    Ask for
    multiple
    generalization
    representation

    Ask questions
    Automaticity that require
    practice qualitative
    reasoning

    James Epperson, Ph.D.


    Thepowerpoint and the worksheets will be
    posted on my blog at
    tothemathlimit.wordpress.com.

    You might also like