Question

If satellite B is four time the distance of satellite A from the Earth, then the magnitude of the gravitational force due to the Earth on satellite B is how many times that of satellite A

a. 1/16
b. 1/4
c. 1/2
d. 2 times
e. 4 times
f. 16 times

Answer 1

The gravitational force on Satellite B, which is four times farther from Earth than Satellite A, is 1/16 the force on Satellite A due to the inverse square law of gravitation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The magnitude of the gravitational force between two objects, such as Earth and a satellite, is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This is known as the inverse square law. If Satellite B is four times the distance from Earth compared to Satellite A, the gravitational force on Satellite B will be 1/16 the force on Satellite A. This is because when you square the distance factor 4 (since Satellite B is four times farther away), you get 42, which is 16. Therefore, the force of gravity on Satellite B is 1/16 that of Satellite A.