The torque exerted on a perfectly spherical orbiting communications satellite by the gravitational pull of the earth is
A)directed toward Earth.
B)directed parallel to Earth's axis and toward the north pole.
C)directed parallel to Earth's axis and toward the south pole.
D)directed toward the satellite.
E)zero.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The torque exerted on a perfectly spherical orbiting satellite by the gravitational pull of the Earth is zero. This is because the gravitational force acts along the line connecting the center of mass of the satellite and the center of mass of the Earth, which means that there is no lever arm to produce a torque. Therefore, there is no torque on the satellite, and its angular momentum remains constant.

The Torque Exerted on a Perfectly Spherical Orbiting Communications Satellite