A communications satellite orbiting the earth has solar panels that completely a

Question

A communications satellite orbiting the earth has solar panels that completely absorb all sunlight incident upon them. The total area A of the panels is 10m2.

1) The intensity of the sun's radiation incident upon the earth is about I=1.4kW/m2. Suppose this is the value for the intensity of sunlight incident upon the satellite's solar panels. What is the total solar power P absorbed by the panels?

Express your answer numerically in kilowatts to two significant figures.

2) What is the total force F on the panels exerted by radiation pressure from the sunlight?

Express the total force numerically, to two significant figures, in units of newtons.

Explanation / Answer

intensity = power / Area

=> power absobed = I*A =>1.4*10^3 *(10)

=14000 Watt = 14 kWatt

time-averaged intensity divided by the speed of light in free space is the radiation pressure

P = (1.4*1000)/c

Force = pressure * area => ((1.4*1000)/(3*10^8)) * 10

=0.00004666666 N

=0.000047 N

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