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Chapter 12: Problem 29

The Space Shuttle and other spacecraft orbit the Earth well within the Earth's Roche limit. Explain why these spacecraft are not torn apart by tidal forces.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Spacecraft and the Space Shuttle are not torn apart by tidal forces despite being within Earth's Roche limit because they are rigid bodies. They do not solely rely on self-gravity to maintain their shape and structure, but rather on their structural integrity. The differential gravitational pull (tidal force) on them is much weaker than the forces holding their structure together, hence they resist disintegration.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding tidal forces

Firstly, it's crucial to grasp the concept of tidal forces. Tidal forces are a differential gravitational force. In other words, the difference in the strengths of gravity acting on two different points of an object. For example, the ocean tides on Earth are the result of the moon's gravity pulling more strongly on one side of the Earth than the other.
02

Understanding the Roche limit

Roche limit is a term in celestial mechanics, representing the minimum distance to which a large celestial body, let's say a planet, can approach another large celestial body, like a satellite or moon, before the tidal forces overcome the gravitational forces holding that body together. If this limit is surpassed, the celestial body would disintegrate and possibly form a ring system around the planet.
03

Analyzing the effect on rigid bodies

Now, let's consider the spacecraft. The spacecrafts, like The Space Shuttle, are solid, rigid bodies. They do not rely solely on self-gravity to hold themselves together. Instead, they are held together by structural integrity (the material it is made from). Hence, the tidal force effect, which is dependent on the gravitational pull difference over the body, is much weaker compared to the forces holding the spacecraft together. This is why they are not torn apart while orbiting within the Earth's Roche limit.

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