A 5,000 kg satellite is orbiting the Earth in a circular path. The height of the satellite above the surface of the Earth is 800 km. The speed of the satellite is (M_E = 5.98 × 10²⁴ kg, R_E = 6.37 × 10⁶m, G = 6.67 × 10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg²) A) 7,460 m/s. B) 6,830 m/s. C) 6,430 m/s. D) 5,950 m/s. E) 5,350 m/s.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The correct answer is A because the speed of the satellite is given by the formula v = sqrt(GM/r), where G is the gravitational constant, M is the mass of the Earth, and r is the distance from the center of the Earth to the satellite. Plugging in the given values, we get v = sqrt((6.67 × 10^-11 N·m^2/kg^2) * (5.98 × 10^24 kg) / (6.37 × 10^6 m + 800 × 10^3 m)) = 7,460 m/s.

A 5,000 Kg Satellite Is Orbiting the Earth in a Circular