If a satellite is in a stable orbit, what can be said about the net force acting

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Question: If a satellite is in a stable orbit, what can be said about the net force acting on it?

Options:

Correct Answer: It is zero

Solution:

In a stable orbit, the net force acting on the satellite is zero because the gravitational force provides the necessary centripetal force.

If a satellite is in a stable orbit, what can be said about the net force acting on it?

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.