An object in orbit around Earth
A)is not experiencing gravity.
B)is in free fall.
C)is accelerating towards Earth.
D)is in free fall and is accelerating toward Earth.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An object in orbit around Earth is in free fall, which means it is falling towards Earth due to the force of gravity. However, because it also has enough forward motion to keep missing the Earth's surface, it is not actually crashing into the ground. This combination of free fall and forward motion means that the object is also accelerating towards Earth, since acceleration is any change in speed or direction. So, choice D is the best option.

An Object in Orbit Around Earth