PhysicsLAB Worksheet
Kepler's Laws: Worksheet #2

 
 
a = RAV = ½ (RA + RP)
e = c / a
 
RA = a + c
RP = a - c 

T2 / RAV 3 = constant
 
Refer to the following information for the next question.

Average Period Average Orbital Radius
1.77 days 6.04 x 106 meters 
3.55 days 9.62 x 106 meters 
7.15 days 15.3 x 106 meters 
16.7 days 27.0  x 106 meters
Do the following satellites orbit the same central body? That is, do they have the same Kepler constant? 

Refer to the following information for the next four questions.

The eccentricity of Saturn's orbit is 0.056 and its orbital period is 29.5 years.
What is Saturn's average distance form the sun? 

What is its greatest distance from the sun? 

What is its least distance form the sun? 

How does its greatest speed compare with its least speed? 

Refer to the following information for the next three questions.

For the moon, the perihelion distance has been found to be about 3.5 x 108 meters and the aphelion distance is about 4.2 x 108 meters
What is the eccentricity of the orbit of the moon's orbit? 

If it takes 27.3 days for the moon to make one revolution around the earth, what is Kepler's constant (in days2/m3) for any earth satellite? 

What is the average radius of a satellite that takes 24 hours to orbit the earth? 





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