PHYS 001D Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Geostationary Orbit, Moe Williams, Special Relativity
12 May 2020
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What other satellites do you want to put in geostationary orbit> Located at an altitude of ~20,000 km (vs ~35,600 km for geostationary) Moving faster than a satellite at geostationary orbit. Special relativity: length contraction, time dilation. Suppose you are traveling at 90% light speed and turn on a flashlight. Suppose a stationary observer watched you turn on the flashlight while traveling at 90% light speed. They also move at normal light speed. The laws of physics take the same form in all uniformly moving reference frames. In any uniformly moving reference frame, the velocity of light ( c. ) is the same, whether emitted by a body at rest or a body in uniform motion. Unique property of light (cosmic speed limit) Adding the complication of an accelerating reference frame is what differs between special and general relativity. Time itself does not tick by at the same rate. Passage of time changes based on your position.
