Angular Speed and Orbital Period
Hence the orbital period can be computed as:
Compare two proportional quantities, the free-fall time (time to fall to a point mass from rest)
- (17.7 % of the orbital period in a circular orbit)
and the time to fall to a point mass in a radial parabolic orbit
- (7.5 % of the orbital period in a circular orbit)
The fact that the formulas only differ by a constant factor is a priori clear from dimensional analysis.
Read more about this topic: Circular Orbit
Famous quotes containing the words speed and/or period:
“There was such speed in her little body,
And such lightness in her footfall,
It is no wonder her brown study
Astonishes us all.”
—John Crowe Ransom (18881974)
“A nap, my friend, is a brief period of sleep which overtakes superannuated persons when they endeavour to entertain unwelcome visitors or to listen to scientific lectures.”
—George Bernard Shaw (18561950)