Question

A satellite weighs 10,000N on earth. If the satellite orbits at a distance of 1 earth radii (twice as far from the center of the earth), what will it weigh? A) 2,500N B) 5,000N C) 10,000N D) 20,000N

Answer 1

The satellite's weight in orbit at a distance of 1 Earth radii (twice the distance from the center of the Earth) is 2,500N, which is a quarter of its weight on Earth due to the inverse square law of gravitational force.

Step-by-step explanation:

The weight of a satellite is determined by the gravitational force acting on it, which depends on the mass of the Earth and the satellite, as well as the distance between their centers. According to Newton's law of universal gravitation, this force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the centers of the two masses.

If a satellite weighs 10,000N on Earth and orbits at a distance of 1 earth radii above the Earth's surface (which is twice as far from the center of the Earth, since one radius is the distance to the surface), the distance from the center of the Earth increases by a factor of two.

Therefore, the weight of the satellite (the gravitational force) at this new distance would be decreased by a factor of 22 (the square of the distance), which is 4. So, if it weighed 10,000N on Earth, in orbit at twice the Earth's radius, it would weigh 10,000N / 4 = 2,500N. The correct answer is A) 2,500N.

Answer 2

2500 N

Explanation

If a satellite ways 10000 N at the surface of the earth it means there is zero distance between the rocket and the surface of the earth. However,when the satellite will start rising from the surface of the earth and the distance will reach equal to the radius of the earth, it means that distance is around double of the distance from the earth surface.

So when the distance has become double, the weight will become 1/4th.

1/4 x 10000 N = 2500 N

So, 2500 N is the right answer

Hope it helps!