Physics Β· Unit 3 Β· Gravity and motion Β· Projectile motion
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A satellite in a geosynchronous orbit maintains a constant position above the Earth's equator. A different satellite in low Earth orbit at one-quarter the orbital radius completes multiple orbits per day. Justify why the low Earth orbit satellite must have a greater orbital speed than the geosynchronous satellite, using the relationship between centripetal force and orbital motion.
A spacecraft with a mass of \(2{,}400\) kg orbits Mars at an altitude where the orbital velocity is \(3{,}200\) m/s. The radius of the circular orbit is \(4.5 \times 10^6\) m. What is the magnitude of the net centripetal force acting on the spacecraft?
A communications satellite of mass 1,200 kg orbits Earth at a constant altitude of 750 km above the surface. The radius of Earth is 6,370 km. Calculate the centripetal force acting on the satellite. Show your working.