48. Calculate the kinetic energy that the earth has because of (a) its rotation about its own axis and (b) its motion around the sun. Assume that the earth is a uniform sphere and that its path around the sun is circular. For comparison, the total energy used in the United States in one year is about 1.1 x 1020 J.

 

About our own axis

Moment of inertia would be the moment of a solid sphere about an axis running through the center of the sphere

Angular speed is

Combining these

 

 

 

 

 

 

About our Sun

Moment of inertia would be the moment of an object in orbit

 

Angular speed is

Combining these

 

 

 

 

 

 

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This page last updated on January 11, 2020