A day on a distant planet observed orbiting a nearby star is 31.7 hours. Also, a

Question

A day on a distant planet observed orbiting a nearby star is 31.7 hours. Also, a year on the planet lasts 79.5 Earth days.* Calculate the average angular speed of the planet about its own axis of rotation in radians per second, with the second as measured on Earth.

Calculate the average angular speed of the planet as it travels around its neighboring star, with the second as measured on Earth.

* In other words, for the purposes of unit conversion there are 24 hours in a day, 60 minutes in an hour, and 60 seconds in a minute, as it would for astronomers on Earth observing the planet.

Explanation / Answer

Part A)

Angular speed about its axis is

2pi/31.7(60)(60) = 5.51 X 10-5 rad/s

Part B)

Around its star...

2pi/(79.5)(24)(60)(60) = 9.15 X 10-7 rad/s

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