A space station is constructed in the shape of a wheel 20 m in diameter, with essentially all of its 5.2×105 kg mass at the rim. Once the station is completed, it is set rotating at a rate that requires an object at the rim to have radial acceleration g , thereby simulating Earth's surface gravity. This is accomplished using two small rockets, each with 130 N thrust, that are mounted on the rim of the station. How long will it take to reach the desired spin rate, and how many revolutions will the station make in this time?
Angular Momentum
The momentum of an object is given by multiplying its mass and velocity. Momentum is a property of any object that moves with mass. The only difference between angular momentum and linear momentum is that angular momentum deals with moving or spinning objects. A moving particle's linear momentum can be thought of as a measure of its linear motion. The force is proportional to the rate of change of linear momentum. Angular momentum is always directly proportional to mass. In rotational motion, the concept of angular momentum is often used. Since it is a conserved quantity—the total angular momentum of a closed system remains constant—it is a significant quantity in physics. To understand the concept of angular momentum first we need to understand a rigid body and its movement, a position vector that is used to specify the position of particles in space. A rigid body possesses motion it may be linear or rotational. Rotational motion plays important role in angular momentum.
Moment of a Force
The idea of moments is an important concept in physics. It arises from the fact that distance often plays an important part in the interaction of, or in determining the impact of forces on bodies. Moments are often described by their order [first, second, or higher order] based on the power to which the distance has to be raised to understand the phenomenon. Of particular note are the second-order moment of mass (Moment of Inertia) and moments of force.
A space station is constructed in the shape of a wheel 20 m in diameter, with essentially all of its 5.2×105 kg mass at the rim. Once the station is completed, it is set rotating at a rate that requires an object at the rim to have radial acceleration g , thereby simulating Earth's surface gravity. This is accomplished using two small rockets, each with 130 N thrust, that are mounted on the rim of the station. How long will it take to reach the desired spin rate, and how many revolutions will the station make in this time?
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