Question

The earth exerts the necessary centripetal force on an orbiting satellite to keep it moving in a circle at constant speed. Which one of the following statements best explains why the speed of the satellite does not change although there is a net force exerted on it?

A) The satellite is in equilibrium.
B) The acceleration of the satellite is zero m/s2 .
C) The centripetal force has magnitude mv2 /r.
D) The centripetal force is canceled by the reaction force.
E) The centripetal force is always perpendicular to the velocity.

Answer 1

E) The centripetal force is always perpendicular to the velocity.

Step-by-step explanation:

Due to gravity and inertia, the satellite follows a uniform circular motion. In this movement, the velocity is always tangent to the orbit and the centripetal force is directed towards the center. Therefore, there is no net acceleration in the same direction of velocity, which implies that it remains constant.