A day on a distant planet observed orbiting a nearby star is 31.7 hours. Also, a

Question

A day on a distant planet observed orbiting a nearby star is 31.7 hours. Also, a year on the planet lasts 28.5 Earth days.* Calculate the average angular speed of the planet about its own axis of rotation in radians per second, with the second as measured on Earth.
Calculate the average angular speed of the planet as it travels around its neighboring star, with the second as measured on Earth.
* In other words, for the purposes of unit conversion there are 24 hours in a day, 60 minutes in an hour, and 60 seconds in a minute, as it would for astronomers on Earth observing the planet.

Explanation / Answer

Part A)

Angluar speed is found in rad/sec

Since the planet makes one revolution in 31.7 hours, that is 2 radians in 31.7 hrs.

31.7 hrs converts to 114120 sec using the conversion unit for the Earth as given.

Thus

= 2/114120 = 5.51 X 10-5 rad/s

Part B)

Same idea, 1 revolution is 2 radians

28.5 days converts to 2462400 sec

Thus

= 2/2462400 = 2.55 X 10-6 rad/s

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse A
• Subjects

---