Question map
Not attempted Correct Incorrect ★ Bookmarked
Loading…
Q80 (IAS/2011) Science & Technology › Basic Science (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) › Astronomy and astrophysics Answer Verified

An artificial satellite orbiting around the Earth does not fall down. This is so because the attraction of Earth.

Result
Your answer: —  Â·  Correct: D
Explanation

An artificial satellite orbiting the Earth is in a state of continuous free fall toward the planet. The Earth's gravitational attraction does not disappear at orbital altitudes; rather, it acts as a centripetal force that keeps the satellite in its curved path. According to Newton's Second Law, this net force provides the necessary centripetal acceleration required to constantly change the satellite's direction of motion without changing its tangential speed in a circular orbit. While the satellite possesses a specific orbital speed, it is the gravitational pull that provides the acceleration (change in velocity vector) toward the Earth's center, preventing it from flying off in a straight line. The attraction of the moon is negligible for maintaining Earth's satellite orbits and does not neutralize Earth's gravity.

Sources

  1. [1] Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 5: Exploring Forces > Activity 5.8: Let us observe > p. 72
  2. [2] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 13: Movements of Ocean Water > TIDES > p. 109
How others answered
Each bar shows the % of students who chose that option. Green bar = correct answer, blue outline = your choice.
Community Performance
Out of everyone who attempted this question.
50%
got it right
✓ Thank you! We'll review this.

SIMILAR QUESTIONS

NDA-II · 2017 · Q61 Relevance score: 0.81

Which one of the following statements about a satellite orbiting around the Earth is correct ?

NDA-I · 2009 · Q24 Relevance score: 0.80

Assertion (A) : Two artificial satellites having different masses and revolving around the Earth in the same circular orbit have same speed. Reason (R) : The speed of a satellite is directly proportional to the radius of its orbit.

IAS · 2002 · Q147 Relevance score: 0.15

Assertion (A) : Artificial satellites are always launched from the earth in the eastward direction. Reason (R) : The earth rotates from west to east and so the satellite attains the escape velocity.

CDS-II · 2013 · Q31 Relevance score: -3.81

Satellite having the same orbital period as the period of rotation of the Earth about its own axis is known as :