Tidal Forces: Roche Limit

This lecture explains how tidal forces can distort celestial bodies to the point of breaking them, focusing on the Roche limit, which determines the distance at which a satellite is destroyed by these forces. The instructor covers the calculation of the Roche limit using the example of Jupiter and its satellite Io, discussing the differential forces, centripetal acceleration, and the critical distance for satellite destruction. Examples from Saturn's rings and the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 illustrate the real-world impact of the Roche limit on celestial bodies.