A satellite is revolving around the earth in a circular orbit in a plane containing earth's axis of rotation. if the angular speed of satellite is equal to that of earth, find the time it takes to move from a point above north pole to a point above the equator.

Answer

6 hrs

Explanation

A satellite which rotates with angular speed equal to earth's rotation has an orbit radius `7 R_(e)` and the angular speed of revolution is
`omega = (2pi)/(T) = (2pi)/(86400) = 7.27 xx 10^(-5) "rad/s"`

When satellite moves from a point above north pole to a point above equator, it traverses an angle `pi//2`, this time taken is
`t = (pi//2)/(omega) = 21600s = 6 hrs`.