Planetary Interiors: General Principles
Moment
of Inertia
Coefficient
(k) for various spheres |
Coefficient
(k) for various objects |
| Object |
k |
Object |
k |
| Hollow
Sphere |
0.667 |
Moon |
0.40 |
| Homogeneous
Sphere |
0.400 |
Mars |
0.37 |
| Sphere:
1/2 radius core containing 2/3 of density |
0.347 |
Earth |
0.33 |
| Sphere:
All mass at center |
0.000 |
Neptune |
0.29 |
| |
|
Jupiter |
0.26 |
| |
|
Uranus |
0.23 |
| |
|
Saturn |
0.20 |
| |
|
Sun |
0.06 |
By comparing the moment of inertia of an astronomical object
to moments of inertia of known objects, information on the distibution of mass within the
astronomical object can be obtained!
|
