What keeps them in geosyncrones orbit?
2006-09-09 04:11:09 · 12 answers · asked by alexsaint 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
This is a good question.
Actually, the earth is spinning like a top. The satellite is moving in orbit around the earth at the same speed. It appears the satellite isn't moving, but that's only because both the satellite and the earth are moving pretty fast.
When something is in orbit, it is "falling around the earth." If it were moving SLOWER it would spiral in toward the earth and crash. If it were moving FASTER, it would spiral out away from the earth. At the proper speed, it keeps the same distance.
So orbit is a special use of speed and gravity to create an equilibreum rather than have the objects crash into each other.
2006-09-09 04:22:28 · answer #1 · answered by urbancoyote 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The principle of orbits. Something is orbiting when it is in space (so it isn't being slowed down by the atmosphere) and the centrifugal force of its rotation balances out the gravitational force between it and the object it's orbiting. Satellites are positioned in the right place and given the right push with a rocket to achieve that balance, so they stay in the same orbit. Geosynchronous orbit is just a special orbit where the orbital period matches the rotation period of the Earth (one day).
2006-09-09 04:13:49 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
The satellite tv for pc strikes around the earth's orbit...the gravitational charm supplies the centripetal acceleration and there is a particular speed...typically known because the orbital speed which the satellite tv for pc keeps...that's an straightforward case of round action (or elleptical or bits)...the orbital speed with the radial centripetal acc. prevents it from falling to earth....yet each so often the launch speed does certainly will develop right into a lot less that the orbital speed...the orbit intersects with the earth..making the satellite tv for pc fall back to the earth
2016-11-25 22:03:51 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In a sense, they ARE continuously falling. That is, they are continuously being pulled back to earth and trying to fall onto the earth. But at the same time, they are moving forward very fast. So one way to think about this is, they are falling but as they fall, they are continually outrunning the earth, or you could say, the earth is moving out from underneath them. Satellites in geosynchronous orbit are set up exactly the same as other satellites except for one thing. yes, they are set up so their forward motion and the pull of the earths gravity are balanced, just like all other satellites, just as I mentioned. But in addition they are balanced one more way. They are set at a height so that at the speed they are going, it takes just twenty four hours to completely circle the earth and they circle around in the same direction the earth is turning. That means that in the same amount of time that it takes them to go around the earth once, the earth beneath them is also turning exactly once. So although they are travelling quite fast around a very large circle, to a person on the surface of the earth they appear to be staying in the same place relative to the earth.
2006-09-09 04:28:41 · answer #4 · answered by matt 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Momentum. It would be easier to explain by drawing a picture or by a demonstration.
Get a string with a small ball tied to the end. With one hand twirl the ball on the string. It should roughly be circular depending on how tight your wrist action is. If you get the ball moving around in a circle, slow down (thus lowering your momentum) and the ball drops. Technically making smaller circles, if you were to look down on the string/ball pair from above. Much the same way a satellite would "fall" out of orbit if its velocity changes. With the ball/string pair, this happens much faster due to wind resistance.
2006-09-09 04:21:50 · answer #5 · answered by myrthn 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You've gotten several excellent answers, but I just wanted to add a trivia tidbit.
The guy who first thought of the idea was Arthur C. Clarke, best known as a science fiction writer.
2006-09-09 05:09:52 · answer #6 · answered by tehabwa 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A balance between centrifugal force and gravity.
2006-09-09 04:14:42 · answer #7 · answered by Barkley Hound 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They always do keep falling. The Centrifugal force keeps them away.
2006-09-09 04:45:18 · answer #8 · answered by ag_iitkgp 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
centrifugal force, gravity and magnetic force
2006-09-09 05:26:25 · answer #9 · answered by o0_belgium_0o 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
sometimes it does went off the track...
2006-09-13 01:41:29 · answer #10 · answered by samdesign78 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋