The Hubble Space Telescope orbits at an altitude of 600 km above Earth's surface.Assuming it is in a stable circular orbit, what is its velocity? For reference, Earth's radius is 6,400 km and Earth's mass is 6* 10²⁴ kg. A) 240,000 m/s B) 7,500 m/s C) 51,000 m/s D) 64,000 m/s E) You also must know the mass of the Hubble Space Telescope to determine its speed.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The velocity of an object in a stable circular orbit is determined by the gravitational force and does not depend on the mass of the object. The formula for orbital velocity is v = √(GM/R), where G is the gravitational constant, M is Earth's mass, and R is the distance from Earth's center to the object. Plugging in the values, the velocity is approximately 7,500 m/s.

The Hubble Space Telescope Orbits at an Altitude of 600