Wednesday, January 30, 2008

What is a Orbital Velocity?

Orbital velocity is the least velocity which should be given to any object or satellite so that it moves in its orbit.It is basically a minimum velocity given to any object so that it moves in a circular path.
If,
m= mass of the object.
R+h=height of the object or satellite.
M= mass of the earth.
v= orbital velocity.
then we know that when any object moves in a circular path there should be some forces which can provide the cetripetal force.In this case that force will be provided by the gravitational force between the earth and the object.

so,
centripetal force=gravitaional force between the earth and that object

mv^2/R+h=GMm/(R+h)^2
v^2=GM/R+h..............................1
we also know ,
mg=GMm/(R+h)^2.............................2

therefore from 1 and 2 .
v^2=g(R+h).

also from 1 we get that orbital velocity depends on its mass and its height from the earth.

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