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Q. What is meant by an artificial satellite? How are the satellites classified based on their
functions?
Ans:
1. Manmade object revolving around the earth or any other planet is called artificial
satellite
2. Classification of satellite
A) Weather satellite :
It collect information about weather condition of the region.
It records temperature, air pressure, cloud cover over the region and prepares
weather report.
B) Communication satellite
These are used to communicate with different places on earth.
They are useful for internet and mobile communications
C) Broadcasting satellites:
These are used to transmit data for radios and televisions
D) Navigation satellite:
These are used for getting maps and live location.
These are used by aeroplanes, ships, road vehicles, and many people around the
world.
E) Military Satellite: Useful for military purpose, guiding missile, to keep watch on
enemy activities.
F) Earth observation satellites:
To search resources on earth .
b. What is meant by the orbit of a satellite? On what basis and how are the orbits
of artificial satellites classified?
Ans:
The path in which satellite orbits the earth is called orbit of satellite.
Depending on the function of satellite, satellite is kept in different orbits.
Orbits are classified on the basis of following criteria:
1. Height of orbit: high earth, middle earth and lower earth orbit
• High Earth Orbits: (Height from the earth’ s surface > 35780 km)
• Medium Earth Orbit (height above the earth’ s surface 2000 km to 35780 km)
• Low Earth Orbits (height above the earth’ s surface: 180 km to 2000 km)
2. nature of orbit: circular or elliptical
3. angle of orbit: parallel to equator or inclined to equator
C) Why are geostationary satellites not useful for studies of Polar Regions?
Ans:
1. Geostationary satellite are revolving at 35780 km above the earth surface.
2. They are revolving around the equator
3. They can’ t fly over the polar region
4. Being far away from polar region, they are not useful for study of Polar Regions.
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d. What is meant by satellite launch vehicles? Explain a satellite launch vehicle developed
by I SRO with the help of a schematic diagram.
Ans:
Satellite launch vehicles are used to launch satellites in their orbits.
Structure of satellite launch vehicle PSLV:
1. First stage: Fuel and engine are used in first stage. It provides initial speed to the
vehicle. As it reaches certain height, fuel is finished. Empty part falls in the ocean.
Weight of rocket vehicle is reduced now.
2. Second stage: fuel in this stage starts burning. As weight is reduced in this stage,
vehicle can move with higher speed.
3. Third stage is of solid fuel
4. Fourth stage is of liquid fuel. It pushes the satellite in its respective orbit with
specific velocity.
5. Satellite is kept in nose of vehicle
e) Why it is beneficial to use satellite launch vehicles made of more than one stage?
1. Rocket requires lot of fuel to reach height of 35000km above the earth.
2. So weight of the launching vehicle must be less. So it can achieve required speed to
travel in space.
3. This is achieved by dividing fuel into two or more stages.
4. When fuel in first stage is used, this 1st fuel tank is separated from the main vehicle and
this falls in the ocean.
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5. Now weight of satellite is reduced. It goes higher height easily
6. Now burning of Fuel in 2nd tank is started. When it reaches certain height, this tank is
also separated.
7. In this way, each stage is separated after finishing fuel from it.
8. It helps vehicle to reduce its weight and reach higher height.
Hence satellite launching vehicle has more than 2 stages
Q4. Complete the following table
IRNSS Navigation satellite To fix the location in terms of precise
latitude and longitude
INSAT Weather study Weather satellite
predict
IRS Earth observation Earths observation
satellite
Q5. Solve the following problems.
a. If mass of a planet is eight times the mass of the earth and its radius is twice the radius
of the earth, what will be the escape velocity for that planet?
Ans:
Mass of planet M is eight times the mass of earth 8*
Radius of earth: 6.4 x 106 m
Radius of planet: 2 x Radius of earth =2 x 6.4 x 106 m
V esc = √( 2 GM / R)
= √( 2 * 6.67 * 10-11 x 8 x 6x 1024/ 2x6x106)
= 22.37 km
b. How much time a satellite in an orbit at height 35780 km above earth’ s surface
would take, if the mass of the earth would have been four times its original mass?
Ans: ~ 12 hrs
We know,
For M= 6 x 1024, R= 6400km, h= 35780 km, Vc = 3.08km/sec
Therefore if M become 4M
Then Vc = √(G4M)/(R+h)
=√ 4 √(GM) / (R+h)
= 2 x 3.08
=6.18 km/sec
Time required ?
Time = distance / velocity
= 2 pie (r+h)/ 6.18
= 2 x 3.14 x ( 6400+35780) / 6.18
= 42862 sec
=42862/60 min = 714 min
= 714/60 hr
=11.9 hrs
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c. If the height of a satellite completing one revolution around the earth in T seconds is h1 meter,
then what would be the height of a satellite taking 2√2 T seconds for one revolution?
Ans : R + 2h1
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