When a satellite moves in a circular orbit around the earth, the necessary _force is provided by the force of gravity:

Explanation

When a satellite moves in a circular orbit around the Earth, the necessary centripetal force is provided by the force of gravity. The gravitational force between the satellite and the Earth acts as the centripetal force required to keep the satellite in its circular path. The centripetal force is directed toward the center of the circular orbit and is necessary to counteract the tendency of the satellite to move in a straight line tangentially to its orbit. In the case of a satellite orbiting the Earth, gravity is what provides this centripetal force, keeping the satellite in a stable orbit. The mathematical relationship between the centripetal force Fc, gravitational force Fg, and other parameters can be expressed using the following equation: Fc= GMsatelliteMearth/R2 where: - Fc is the centripetal force, - G is the gravitational constant, - Msatellite is the mass of the satellite, - Mearth is the mass of the Earth, - r is the radius of the satellite's orbit.