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Neptune has mass of 1.0×1026 kg, radius of 2.5×107 m, rotational period of 16.0 hours, orbital period of 6.02×104 days, and is 4.5×109 kmfrom the Sun. (A) Determine the angular momentum of Neptune about its rotation axis (assume Neptune is a uniform sphere). (B) Determine the angular momentum of the Neptune in its orbit around the Sun (treat the Neptune as a particle orbiting the Sun).

User Anton VBR
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Final answer:

Neptune's angular momentum is calculated based on its rotational motion about its axis and its orbital motion around the Sun, using its mass, radius, rotational period, and orbital period as inputs into relevant physics equations.

Step-by-step explanation:

Understanding Neptune's Angular Momentum

We are tasked with determining the angular momentum of Neptune. Two types of angular momentum are considered: (A) the angular momentum due to Neptune's rotation about its own axis, and (B) the angular momentum of Neptune in its orbit around the Sun.

For part (A), assuming Neptune to be a uniform sphere, we can use the formula L = Iω, where L is the angular momentum, I is the moment of inertia, and ω is the angular velocity. For a sphere, I = 0.4mr², where m is the mass and r is the radius. As Neptune has a mass of 1.0×10²26 kg and a radius of 2.5×10²7 m, we find I for Neptune. The rotational period is 16.0 hours, which we can convert to angular velocity in radians per second.

For part (B), treating Neptune as a particle orbiting the Sun, we use the formula L = mvr, where m is the mass, v is the orbital velocity, and r is the radius of the orbit, which in this case is the distance from Neptune to the Sun. With Neptune's mass being 1.0×10²26 kg, the orbital period being 6.02×10²4 days, and the distance to the Sun being 4.5×10²9 km, we can first calculate the orbital velocity and then find the angular momentum.

User Daniel Mitchell
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