In which of the following scenarios does a satellite experience weightlessness?
Practice Questions
Q1
In which of the following scenarios does a satellite experience weightlessness?
When it is stationary on the ground
When it is in free fall
When it is at rest in space
When it is moving at constant speed
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
In which of the following scenarios does a satellite experience weightlessness?
Step 1: Understand what weightlessness means. Weightlessness occurs when there is no force acting on an object that makes it feel heavy.
Step 2: Learn about free fall. Free fall happens when an object is falling under the influence of gravity alone, without any other forces acting on it.
Step 3: Recognize that a satellite in orbit is in free fall. It is constantly falling towards the Earth due to gravity, but it also moves forward fast enough that it keeps missing the Earth.
Step 4: Realize that everything inside the satellite, including astronauts, is also falling at the same rate as the satellite itself.
Step 5: Conclude that because both the satellite and its occupants are falling together, they experience weightlessness.
