Question

A satellite is orbiting earth at a distance of 35.0 kilometers. The satellite has a mass of 500 kilograms. What is the force between the planet and the satellite?

Answer 1

Answer:

F = 4856.32 N

Explanation:

Given,

A satellite is orbiting earth at a distance from Earth surface, h = 35000 m

The mass of the satellite, m = 500 Kg

The radius of the Earth, R = 6.371 x 10⁶ m

The mass of the Earth, M = 5.972 x 10²⁴ Kg

The gravitational constant, G = 6.67408 x 10 ⁻¹¹ m³ kg⁻¹ s⁻²

The force between the Earth and the satellite is given by the formula

                                    F = GMm/(R+h)²  N

Substituting the values in the above equation

        F = (6.67408 x 10 ⁻¹¹ X 5.972 x 10²⁴ X 500) / (6.371 x 10⁶ + 35000)²

                                        = 4856.32 N

Hence,  the force between the planet and the satellite is, F = 4856.32 N