The “Vomit Comet.” In microgravity astronaut training and equipment testing, NASA flies a KC135A aircraft along a parabolic flight path. As shown in Figure P4.59, the aircraft climbs from 24 000 ft to 31 000 ft, where it enters a parabolic path with a velocity of 143 m/s nose high at 45.0° and exits with velocity 143 m/s at 45.0° nose low. During this portion of the flight, the aircraft and objects inside its padded cabin are in free fall; astronauts and equipment float freely as if there were no gravity. What are the aircraft’s (a) speed and (b) altitude at the top of the maneuver? (c) What is the time interval spent in microgravity?
The “Vomit Comet.” In microgravity astronaut training and equipment testing, NASA flies a KC135A aircraft along a parabolic flight path. As shown in Figure P4.59, the aircraft climbs from 24 000 ft to 31 000 ft, where it enters a parabolic path with a velocity of 143 m/s nose high at 45.0° and exits with velocity 143 m/s at 45.0° nose low. During this portion of the flight, the aircraft and objects inside its padded cabin are in free fall; astronauts and equipment float freely as if there were no gravity. What are the aircraft’s (a) speed and (b) altitude at the top of the maneuver? (c) What is the time interval spent in microgravity?
Solution Summary: The author explains the speed of the aircraft and the altitude at the top of a maneuver.
The “Vomit Comet.” In microgravity astronaut training and equipment testing, NASA flies a KC135A aircraft along a parabolic flight path. As shown in Figure P4.59, the aircraft climbs from 24 000 ft to 31 000 ft, where
it enters a parabolic path with a velocity of 143 m/s nose high at 45.0° and exits with velocity 143 m/s at 45.0° nose low. During this portion of the flight, the aircraft and objects inside its padded cabin are in free fall; astronauts and equipment float freely as if there were no gravity. What are the aircraft’s (a) speed and (b) altitude at the top of the maneuver? (c) What is the time interval spent in microgravity?
Question B3
Consider the following FLRW spacetime:
t2
ds² = -dt² +
(dx²
+ dy²+ dz²),
t2
where t is a constant.
a)
State whether this universe is spatially open, closed or flat.
[2 marks]
b) Determine the Hubble factor H(t), and represent it in a (roughly drawn) plot as a function
of time t, starting at t = 0.
[3 marks]
c) Taking galaxy A to be located at (x, y, z) = (0,0,0), determine the proper distance to galaxy
B located at (x, y, z) = (L, 0, 0). Determine the recessional velocity of galaxy B with respect
to galaxy A.
d) The Friedmann equations are
2
k
8πG
а
4πG
+
a²
(p+3p).
3
a
3
[5 marks]
Use these equations to determine the energy density p(t) and the pressure p(t) for the
FLRW spacetime specified at the top of the page.
[5 marks]
e) Given the result of question B3.d, state whether the FLRW universe in question is (i)
radiation-dominated, (ii) matter-dominated, (iii) cosmological-constant-dominated, or (iv)
none of the previous. Justify your answer.
f)
[5 marks]
A conformally…
SECTION B
Answer ONLY TWO questions in Section B
[Expect to use one single-sided A4 page for each Section-B sub question.]
Question B1
Consider the line element
where w is a constant.
ds²=-dt²+e2wt dx²,
a) Determine the components of the metric and of the inverse metric.
[2 marks]
b) Determine the Christoffel symbols. [See the Appendix of this document.]
[10 marks]
c)
Write down the geodesic equations.
[5 marks]
d) Show that e2wt it is a constant of geodesic motion.
[4 marks]
e)
Solve the geodesic equations for null geodesics.
[4 marks]
Page 2
SECTION A
Answer ALL questions in Section A
[Expect to use one single-sided A4 page for each Section-A sub question.]
Question A1
SPA6308 (2024)
Consider Minkowski spacetime in Cartesian coordinates th
=
(t, x, y, z), such that
ds² = dt² + dx² + dy² + dz².
(a) Consider the vector with components V" = (1,-1,0,0). Determine V and V. V.
(b) Consider now the coordinate system x' (u, v, y, z) such that
u =t-x,
v=t+x.
[2 marks]
Write down the line element, the metric, the Christoffel symbols and the Riemann curvature
tensor in the new coordinates. [See the Appendix of this document.]
[5 marks]
(c) Determine V", that is, write the object in question A1.a in the coordinate system x'. Verify
explicitly that V. V is invariant under the coordinate transformation.
Question A2
[5 marks]
Suppose that A, is a covector field, and consider the object
Fv=AAμ.
(a) Show explicitly that F is a tensor, that is, show that it transforms appropriately under a
coordinate transformation.
[5 marks]
(b)…
Chapter 4 Solutions
Physics for Scientists and Engineers, Technology Update (No access codes included)
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