If a satellite is in a stable orbit, what can be said about the net force acting
Practice Questions
Q1
If a satellite is in a stable orbit, what can be said about the net force acting on it?
It is zero
It is equal to the gravitational force
It is equal to the centripetal force
It is equal to the sum of gravitational and centripetal forces
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
If a satellite is in a stable orbit, what can be said about the net force acting on it?
Step 1: Understand what a satellite in a stable orbit means. It is moving around a planet in a path that keeps it at a constant distance from the planet.
Step 2: Recognize that for an object to stay in a circular path, it needs a force pulling it towards the center of that path. This is called centripetal force.
Step 3: Identify the force that acts on the satellite. In this case, it is the gravitational force from the planet.
Step 4: Realize that in a stable orbit, the gravitational force is exactly equal to the centripetal force needed to keep the satellite moving in its circular path.
Step 5: Conclude that since the gravitational force is providing the necessary centripetal force, the net force acting on the satellite is zero.
Centripetal Force – In a stable orbit, the gravitational force acts as the centripetal force that keeps the satellite in motion around the planet.
Net Force – The net force acting on an object in a stable orbit is not zero; rather, it is the gravitational force that equals the required centripetal force for circular motion.
