1-Why doesn\'t the force of gravity change the speed of a satellite in circular
ID: 1324892 • Letter: 1
Question
1-Why doesn't the force of gravity change the speed of a satellite in circular orbit?
2-A circularly moving object requires a centripetal force. What supplies this force for satellites that orbit the Earth?
3-A 'geosynchronous' Earth satellite can remain nearly directly overhead in Singapore, but not in San Francisco. Why?
4-True or false: For orbits of greater altitude, the period is longer.
5- Fill in the blank:
____(a)______gathered the data that were used to show that the planets travel in elliptical orbits around the sun___(b)_______discovered the orbits were elliptical.______(c)_______explained them.
Explanation / Answer
(1)
A satellite in circular orbit has a constant gravity force on it. This force is always at right angles to the motion of satellite, so it can't change the speed. You need a force in the direction of motion to change the speed.
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(2) Gravity supplies the necessary centripetal force to hold a satellite in orbit about the earth.
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(3)
A geosynchronous satellite orbits above the equator. Singapore is on equator, but the other cities are not.
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(4) True, because of the distances involved at higher and higher altitudes
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(5)
(a) Scientists (b) Kepler (c) Kepler
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