Question

the image here shows the a satellite in orbit around our planet. the satellite continues to orbit due to gravity. which statement describes what will happen when the satellite moves farther away from the earth?
a the gravitational pull will increase
b the gravitational pull will decrease
c the gravitational pull will remain the same
d the gravitational pull will increase for a short period of time and then level off

Explanation:

Step1: Recall the formula for gravitational force

The formula for gravitational force is \(F = G\frac{m_1m_2}{r^2}\), where \(G\) is the gravitational constant, \(m_1\) and \(m_2\) are the masses of the two objects (in this case, the Earth and the satellite), and \(r\) is the distance between their centers of mass.

Step2: Analyze the effect of increasing \(r\)

As the satellite moves farther away from the Earth, \(r\) increases. Since \(F\) is inversely proportional to \(r^2\) (\(F\propto\frac{1}{r^2}\)), when \(r\) increases, the value of \(\frac{1}{r^2}\) decreases. So the gravitational pull \(F\) will decrease.

Answer:

B. The gravitational pull will decrease