Uniform circular motion: A satellite orbits the earth a distance of 1.50 × 10⁷ m above the planet's surface and takes 8.65 hours for each revolution about the earth. The earth's radius is 6.38 × 10⁶ m. The acceleration of this satellite is closest to A) 0.0690 m/s². B) 0.870 m/s². C) 1.91 m/s². D) 2.72 m/s². E) 9.80 m/s².

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The acceleration can be calculated using the formula for centripetal acceleration: a = v²/r. First, find the orbital radius (r = Earth's radius + altitude) and the orbital speed (v = 2πr/T, where T is the period in seconds). Then, substitute these into the formula to find the acceleration.

Uniform Circular Motion: a Satellite Orbits the Earth a Distance