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Free Satellite Motion and Orbital Velocity MCQs with Answers

26 Satellite Motion and Orbital Velocity MCQs from Physics, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.

Satellite motion uses gravitational force as the centripetal force required for circular orbit, giving relationships among orbital radius, period and orbital velocity. Questions cover geostationary conditions and weightlessness, while distinguishing orbital velocity, escape velocity and the satellite's tangential speed.

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26 questions · page 1 of 2

1. Time taken by a geostationary satellite to complete one rotation around the Earth is

  • A. 1 year
  • B. 1 day
  • C. 1 hr
  • D. 84 min

Explanation: A geostationary satellite orbits the Earth once every 24 hours, which is the same time it takes for the Earth to complete one rotation.

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Correct answer: 1 day

2. The Global Positioning System (GPS) consists of how many satellites?

  • A. 24 Natural satellites
  • B. 4 Natural satellites
  • C. 3 Synchronous satellites
  • D. both and and b

Explanation: The GPS consists of a constellation of 24 satellites in orbit around the Earth.

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Correct answer: 24 Natural satellites

3. A satellite moving round the Earth constitutes

  • A. An inertial frame of reference
  • B. A non-inertial frame of reference
  • C. Neither inertial nor non-inertial
  • D. both inertial and non inertial

Explanation: A satellite orbiting the Earth is continuously accelerating toward the Earth (centripetal acceleration due to gravity).

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Correct answer: A non-inertial frame of reference

4. INTELSAT has the capacity of

  • A. 3 channels
  • B. 30,000 two-way telephone
  • C. 50,000 two-way telephone
  • D. both (a) & (b)

Explanation: INTELSAT, or the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization, provides various communication services, including telephone…

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Correct answer: 50,000 two-way telephone

5. A satellite appears to be at rest when seen from the equator. Its height from the Earth's surface is nearly

  • A. 35600 km
  • B. 356000 km
  • C. Such a satellite cannot exist
  • D. 6400 km

Explanation: The satellite appears to be at rest when seen from the equator because it orbits the Earth at the same angular velocity as the Earth's…

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Correct answer: 35600 km

6. Height of closest orbit of earth is

  • A. 400m
  • B. 40 km
  • C. 400 km
  • D. 36000 km

Explanation: This is the closest to the average height for Low Earth Orbit (LEO).LEO satellites typically range from an altitude of around 160 km to…

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Correct answer: 400 km

7. An artificial satellite orbiting around the earth does not fall down because the attraction of the earth

  • A. vanishes at such distances
  • B. is balanced by the attraction of the moon
  • C. is balanced by the centrifugal force
  • D. provides the necessary acceleration for its motion in a curved path

Explanation: An artificial satellite orbiting around the Earth does not fall down because the gravitational force of the Earth provides the necessary…

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Correct answer: provides the necessary acceleration for its motion in a curved path

8. Which is constant for a satellite in orbit?

  • A. Velocity
  • B. K.E
  • C. Angular momentum
  • D. P.E

Explanation: For a satellite in orbit, the angular momentum (L) is constant.

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Correct answer: Angular momentum

9. The geostationary satellites are

  • A. Stationary W.R.T Earth
  • B. Rotating W.R.T Earth
  • C. Rotating very fast
  • D. Rotating very slow

Explanation: Geostationary satellites appear stationary relative to a fixed point on Earth's surface because they orbit the Earth at the same rate as…

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Correct answer: Stationary W.R.T Earth

10. An artificial satellite of earth releases a packet. If air resistance is neglected, the point where the packet will hit will be?

  • A. Behind
  • B. Ahead
  • C. Exactly below
  • D. it will never reach earth

Explanation: Here is the explanation of the correct optionFc = mv2/rThe satellite will move in a circular orbit.

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Correct answer: it will never reach earth

11. Suppose that thomass and radius of the Moon changes to 7.35 x 10^22 kg and 1.7 × 10º m respectively. The escape velocity of the Moon will then be(Note: The value of Gravitational constant is 6.63 x 10^-11 Nm²/kg².)

  • A. 1.0 x 10^3 m/s
  • B. 1.1 x 10^4 m/s
  • C. 2.4 x 10^3 m/s
  • D. 8.2 x 10^6 m/s

Explanation: The escape velocity (ve) is calculated using the formula: ve = √(2GM/R), where G is the gravitational constant, M is the mass of the…

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Correct answer: 2.4 x 10^3 m/s

12. For the purpose of oceanography and meteorology, Pakistan has launched a Remote Sensing Satellite System (RSSS) at an altitude of 7 x 10^5 m above the ground station.At the time of launch, the orbital velocity of the artificial satellite was calculated as(Note: The value of gravitational constant, mass and radius of Earth are 6.67 x 10" Nm³/kg.5.9 x 10 kg and 6.3 × 10º m respectively.)

  • A. 5.6 x 10^7 m/s.
  • B. 6.2 x 10^7 m/s.
  • C. 6.8 x 10^3 m/s.
  • D. 7.4 x 10^3 m/s.

Explanation: To find the orbital velocity, we use the formula v = √(GM/(R+h)), where G is the gravitational constant (6.67 x 10-11 Nm²/kg²), M is the…

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Correct answer: 7.4 x 10^3 m/s.

13. One complete of geo-stationary satellite orbit around the earth takes approximately

  • A. 1 hour
  • B. 24 hours
  • C. 120 hours
  • D. 365 hours

Explanation: A geo-stationary satellite completes an orbit around the Earth in 24 hours, which allows it to remain fixed relative to a point on the…

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Correct answer: 24 hours

14. A body of mass m is projected from the Earth's surface. At the point of launch, the acceleration of free fall is g and the radius of the Earth is R. To escape from the gravitational field of the Earth, the speed of the body must be at least:

  • A. √(gR)
  • B. mgR
  • C. √(2gR)
  • D. mg/2R

Explanation: a) √(gR):This option suggests that the speed of the body must be at least √(gR) to escape from the gravitational field of the Earth.

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Correct answer: √(gR)

15. Initial velocity of the object with which it goes out of the Earth's gravitational field, is called:

  • A. Escape velocity
  • B. Threshold velocity
  • C. Maximum velocity
  • D. Terminal velocity

Explanation: Initial velocity of the object, with which it goes out of the Earth's gravitational field, is called 'escape velocity'.

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Correct answer: Escape velocity

16. The minimum required velocity 10 put a satellite into the orbit is called

  • A. Terminal velocity
  • B. Escape velocity
  • C. Critical velocity
  • D. Average velocity

Explanation: The minimum speed required to put a satellite into a given orbit around earth is known as Critical velocity of the satellite.

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Correct answer: Critical velocity

17. The escape velocity corresponds to _ energy gained by the body, which carries it to an infinite distance from the surface of earth.

  • A. Total
  • B. Potential
  • C. Initial kinetic
  • D. None of these

Explanation: Escape velocity Is the velocity required by a body to get out of the earth's gravitational pull and leave the earth without further…

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Correct answer: Initial kinetic

18. Value of escape velocity for the surface of the earth is 11 km/sec. Its value for surface of the moon is:

  • A. 11 km/sec
  • B. 10.4 km/sec
  • C. 2.4 km/sec
  • D. 4.3 km/sec

Explanation: The correct answer is Option C: 2.4 km/sec. The escape velocity for the Moon is approximately 2.374 km/sec.

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Correct answer: 2.4 km/sec

19. A moon rotates about its axis. In the future, scientists may wish to put a satellite into an orbit around the moon such that the satellite remains stationary above one point on moon surface, the period of rotation of moon about its axis is 27.4 days,what is the radius of required orbit? Mass of the moon =7.35x10²²kg

  • A. 3.59 x 10^7 m
  • B. 4.23 x 10^7 m
  • C. 8.86 x 10^7 m
  • D. 6.96 x 10^6 m

Explanation: In this case, once the satellite has been launched, the gravitational force between the satellite and the moon would be providing the…

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Correct answer: 8.86 x 10^7 m

20. The orbital speed of satellite orbiting around the Earth is:

  • A. √GM/Re
  • B. √GMe/Re
  • C. √GMe/R²
  • D. √GMe/h

Explanation: The correct formula to calculate the orbital speed (v) of a satellite orbiting the Earth is: v = √(GMe/r) where G is the gravitational…

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Correct answer: √GMe/Re
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