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Tommy1995
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In order for a satelite to achieve an orbit around the Earth the centripetal force of it needs to be exactly the same as the force of gravitation which is acting upon the satelite. Why is this so?
CWatters said:Centripetal acceleration is the name given to an acceleration that causes an object to move in a curved path.
In the case of a satelite gravity provids the centripetal acceleration. So gravity is allways "the same" as the centripetal acceleration (except perhaps when thrusters are being fired but let's ignore that).
So for a stable circular orbit gravity must provide exactly that acceleration. If it was more or less than that value the path wouldn't be circular.
The relationship between centripetal force and gravitational force of a satellite can be described by Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation. This law states that the force of gravity between two objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. In the case of a satellite orbiting a larger object, such as a planet, the centripetal force (the force that keeps the satellite in its circular orbit) is equal to the gravitational force between the two objects.
The centripetal force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the satellite and the object it is orbiting. This means that as the distance increases, the force decreases. This is because the gravitational force also decreases with distance according to Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation. Therefore, if the distance between the satellite and the object increases, the centripetal force must also decrease in order for the two forces to remain equal.
No, the centripetal force cannot be greater than the gravitational force in a stable orbit. If the centripetal force were to become greater, the satellite would experience an acceleration away from the object it is orbiting, causing it to break out of its orbit. In order for a satellite to remain in a stable orbit, the centripetal force and gravitational force must be equal.
The strength of the centripetal force on a satellite can be affected by the mass of the satellite, the mass of the object it is orbiting, and the distance between the two objects. As the mass of the satellite or the object it is orbiting increases, the force of gravity between them also increases, resulting in a stronger centripetal force. Conversely, as the distance between the two objects increases, the force of gravity decreases, resulting in a weaker centripetal force.
The speed of a satellite does not directly affect the centripetal force, but it does affect the orbit of the satellite. A higher speed will result in a larger orbit, while a lower speed will result in a smaller orbit. However, as long as the speed remains constant, the centripetal force will also remain constant as long as the distance and masses of the objects involved do not change.