An airplane of mass 12,000 kg flies level to the ground at an altitude of 10.0 km with a constant speed of 175 m/s relative to the earth.

(a). What is the magnitude of the airplane's angular momentum (in kg-m2/s) relative to a ground observer directly below the plane?

(b). Does the angular momentum change as the airplane flies along its path?

Question

Physics

Jazmine Schmidt

11 June, 11:31

An airplane of mass 12,000 kg flies level to the ground at an altitude of 10.0 km with a constant speed of 175 m/s relative to the earth.

(a). What is the magnitude of the airplane's angular momentum (in kg-m2/s) relative to a ground observer directly below the plane?

(b). Does the angular momentum change as the airplane flies along its path?

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Answers (1)

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Fiona Pitts · Answer 1

mass of airplane, m = 12000 kg

altitude, h = 10 km = 10,000 m

velocity, v = 175 m/s

(a) Angular momentum

L = m x v x h x Sin 90

L = 12000 x 10,000 x 175

L = 2.1 x 10^10 kg m^2/s

(b) As there is no external torque, so the angular momentum remains constant.