Question

Scientists and engineers are testing three different satellites orbiting Earth. The scientists are able to use sensors to determine the gravitational force experienced by each satellite. Some of the data from each of the orbiting satellites is shown in the table below.

Satellite Distance
from Earth
(km) Mass
(kg) Gravitational
Force
(N)
X 36,000 400 120
Y 36,000 1,200 360
Z 36,000 900 270

Which statement best summarizes the information given?
A.
The gravitational force exerted by Earth changes the mass of each of the satellites.
B.
The gravitational force exerted by Earth on the satellite depends on the satellite's mass.
C.
The gravitational force on the satellite depends only on the distance from Earth at which it is traveling.
D.
The satellite with the least amount of mass is able to exert greater gravitational force on Earth than the others.

Answers

GPT-4o mini
B. The gravitational force exerted by Earth on the satellite depends on the satellite's mass.

This statement is supported by the data in the table, which shows that as the mass of the satellites increases, the gravitational force they experience also increases, while the distance from Earth remains constant.

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