On the ground, the gravitational force on a satellite is W. What is the gravitational force on the satellite when at a height R/50, where R is the radius of the earth?
Correct answer: D. 0.96W
- A. 1.04W
- B. 1.02W
- C. 0.50W
- D. 0.96W
Explanation
Gravitational force has formula,F=GMm/R2Where G is constant, M is mass of earth ,m is mass of object and R is distance between earth's center and objectOn ground Force= GMm/R2Because distance equals to radius of earthIn given orbit,Force=GMm/(R+R/50)²Taking LCM of R+R/50, we get 51R/50GMm/(51R/50)²GMm/(2601 R²/2500) = GMmx2500/2601R²Equating both these equations:GMm x 2500/2601R²=GMm/R2All the constants will be canceled and we will be left with;2500/2601 = 0.96WSo right option will be D
Last updated
About Gravitation
Newton’s law of universal gravitation relates the force between masses to their masses and separation, while gravitational field strength explains weight and orbital motion. The topic covers satellite velocity and period, escape ideas, weightlessness in free fall, and artificial gravity, which differs from ordinary gravitational attraction.
Practise Gravitation
265 free Gravitation MCQs from Physics, each with the correct answer and an explanation. Unlimited attempts, no account needed.
Exams that ask Physics questions like this
Physics is on 9 papers prepared for on TestUstad, and all of them draw the same bank, so this question is worth knowing for every one of them.
Related questions
A 2 kg body falls from infinity to the surface of earth. What will be the kinetic energy of the body on reaching the surface of Earth (Assume escape velocity to be 104 ms-1)?
A bird resting on the floor of an air-tight box which is being carried by a boy, starts flying. The boy will feel that the box is now:
A body in satellite orbiting round the earth is weightless because:
A body is taken from the earth's surface to the moon, the weight of the body will be zero at a point where force of attraction due to:
A body of 2kg is suspended from the ceiling of an elevator moving up with an acceleration 'g' its apparent weight in the elevator will be: