An astronaut, in a satellite, orbiting the earth, experience a state of weightlessness because of:
Correct answer: D. The satellite orbits the earth with a centripetal acceleration equal to 'g'
- A. The satellite orbits the earth at a very large speed
- B. The satellite orbits the earth with a centripetal acceleration greater than 'g'
- C. The satellite orbits the earth with a centripetal acceleration less than 'g'
- D. The satellite orbits the earth with a centripetal acceleration equal to 'g'
Explanation
When a satellite is in orbit around the Earth and moving at the right speed, it is in free fall towards the Earth, and its acceleration due to gravity is exactly balanced by the centripetal acceleration needed to keep it in orbit. This results in a state of weightlessness for the astronaut inside the satellite.
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About Gravitation
Newton’s law of universal gravitation relates the force between masses to their masses and separation, while gravitational field strength explains weight and orbital motion. The topic covers satellite velocity and period, escape ideas, weightlessness in free fall, and artificial gravity, which differs from ordinary gravitational attraction.
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