Question

The mass of mars is 6.38x10^23 kg and its radius is 3.38 x10^6m. Mars rotates on its axis with a period of 1.026 days.(G=6.67x10^-11 Nm^2/kg^2). calculate the orbital speed for a satellite at an altitude of 1.62x10^6 m.

Answer 1

Answer:

v = 2917.35 m/s

Explanation:

let Fc be the centripetal force avting on the satelite , Fg is the gravitational force between mars and the satelite, m is the mass of the satelite and M is the mass of mars.

at any point in the orbit  the forces acting on the satelite are balanced such that:

Fc = Fg

mv^2/r = GmM/r^2

v^2 = GM/r

   v = \sqrt{GM/r}  

      = \sqrt{(6.6708×10^-11)(6.38×10^23)/(3.38×10^6 + 1.62×10^6)}

      = 2917.35 m/s

Therefore, the orbital velocity of the satelite orbiting mars is 2917.35 m/s.