An artificial satellite of the Earth releases a bomb.Neglecting air resistance, the bomb will:
A)strike Earth under the satellite at the instant of release
B)strike Earth under the satellite at the instant of impact
C)strike Earth ahead of the satellite at the instant of impact
D)strike Earth behind the satellite at the instant of impact
E)never strike Earth

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The satellite and the bomb are both in orbit around the Earth, which means they are constantly falling towards the Earth due to gravity, but they also have a tangential velocity that keeps them moving around the Earth. When the bomb is released, it will continue to move in the same orbit as the satellite, but it will no longer have the tangential velocity provided by the satellite. As a result, it will begin to move in a slightly different orbit, but it will still be in orbit around the Earth. Therefore, it will never strike the Earth.

An Artificial Satellite of the Earth Releases a Bomb