The spacecraft shown below weighs 6.1 million pounds. The rocket produces 7.5 million pounds of thrust.



When the spacecraft falls back to earth, a parachute helps it fall safely. Explain the forces acting during this landing.

(1 point)
Responses

The parachute’s downward force resists gravity’s downward force.
The parachute’s downward force resists gravity’s downward force.

The parachute’s upward force resists gravity’s upward force.
The parachute’s upward force resists gravity’s upward force.

The parachute’s upward force resists gravity’s downward force.
The parachute’s upward force resists gravity’s downward force.

The parachute’s downward force resists gravity’s upward force.
The parachute’s downward force resists gravity’s upward force.
Skip to navigation

The correct answer is:

The parachute's upward force resists gravity's downward force.

During the landing of the spacecraft, several forces come into play. The main force acting is gravity, which pulls the spacecraft downwards towards the Earth. However, the parachute is designed to counteract this force and help the spacecraft descend safely.

The parachute exerts an upward force, known as drag or air resistance, as it moves through the atmosphere. This upward force opposes the downward force of gravity. As the parachute opens and increases in surface area, the drag force becomes larger, thus slowing down the descent of the spacecraft.

Therefore, the correct answer is: The parachute’s upward force resists gravity’s downward force.

The correct explanation is:

The parachute's upward force resists gravity's downward force.