Question

Two friends are having a conversation. Anna says a satellite in orbit is in freefall because the satellite keeps falling toward Earth. Tom says a satellite in orbit is not in freefall because the acceleration due to gravity is not 9.80 m/s^2. Who do you agree with and why?

a) Anna; in orbit, a satellite is in continuous freefall.
b) Tom; the acceleration due to gravity is constant in orbit.
c) Both Anna and Tom are correct.
d) Neither Anna nor Tom is correct.

Answer 1

Anna's assertion that a satellite in orbit is in freefall is correct because the satellite is continuously falling towards Earth, albeit with an acceleration due to gravity that differs from 9.80 m/s².

Step-by-step explanation:

The question at hand deals with the concept of freefall in the context of satellites orbiting the Earth. When discussing whether a satellite in orbit is in freefall, Anna asserts that it is indeed in freefall because it is continuously falling toward Earth. On the other hand, Tom believes that a satellite is not in freefall because the acceleration due to gravity at orbital altitudes is not exactly 9.80 m/s².

In this instance, Anna's perspective aligns more closely with the definition of freefall in physics. Freefall is defined as the motion of a body where gravity is the only force acting upon it. Despite the acceleration due to gravity being less than 9.80 m/s² at orbital altitudes, a satellite in orbit is still considered to be in a state of freefall. Consequently, Anna's viewpoint is correct because the satellite is indeed continuously falling towards Earth, despite not accelerating at 9.80 m/s².