today.. we went over.. just one concept i think.. one concept with multiple aspects.
it's that the movement of the earth affects the movement of the satellites that we launch.
mr robson described the axis spinning sort of like jumping off a moving train. when we jump, we still have the velocity from when we were on the train (aka, we're moving sideways though we dont realize)
that is why, launches are preferably done near the equator (rotational veloctiy is at its max there) and using the earth's rotational velocity to give the rocket extra speed is a good idea. 11km/s is the requried escape velocity to get out of the earth's gravity.
the earth is going anticlockwise (from looking above the north pole) around the sun, at a speed of approx 29km/s, so in theory.. satellites we launch are also following that same path, with that same speed. so to fire rockets in the opposite direction, unless they exceed 29km/s, the result wuold just be the rocket slows down and is pulled towards the sun. if its fired in the same direction, it escapes earth's orbit and goes elsewhere.
also.. i asked if all the planets were on the same plane.. turns out they are.. with the exception of pluto. i suppose they're in line with the sun's.. "equator"
also, before the lesson, as a question of gerenal interest i asked what fire is. no full explanation as yuet, it's not something that can be easily explained. but what we see and feel of the fire is energy for sure, but fire itself is more like.. a reaction.
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The planets are in the same plane because they formed from the same disc of dust when the solar system was forming.
ReplyDeleteAlso, launching from a position where the rocket will fly over ocean (eg. east from Cape Canaveral) would be suitable because the rocket stages can fall into the ocean, or if something goes wrong, people living on land are not in danger.