Question

Sid created a chart to summarize characteristics of satellite motion.

A 2 column table with 3 rows. The first column is labeled Characteristic with entries tangential speed, centripetal force, centripetal acceleration. The second column is labeled Description with entries remains constant throughout orbit and decreases with satellite's increasing distance from Earth, parallel to the velocity of the satellite and does not speed up or slow down satellite lastly always points toward earth and exists because satellite is always changing direction.

Which best describes Sid’s error?

Tangential speed changes throughout a satellite’s orbit.
Centripetal force is perpendicular to the velocity of the satellite.
Tangential speed increases with a satellite’s increasing distance from Earth.
Centripetal force can sometimes slow down a satellite in orbit.

Answer 1

Centripetal force is perpendicular to the velocity of the satellite.

Reason: Sid labeled centripetal force as parallel to the velocity; in reality the centripetal force (and centripetal acceleration) points radially inward, perpendicular to the satellite’s tangential velocity, changing direction but not speed.