An object in the vacuum of space orbits the earth at a fixed speed in a circular orbit several hundred miles above the earth. What can we conclude about the reaction force? Is A the correct answer?
a) That there is no reaction force-the net force on the object is zero, so the reaction force is zero too.
b) The reaction force is a force that acts on the earth directed upward toward the object.
c) There is no reaction force- there’s a net force on the object, but zero reaction force because the object is out in space.
d) The reaction force is a normal force that acts upward from the Earth’s surface
Duplicate post; already answered earlier today.
The correct answer is b) The reaction force is a force that acts on the earth directed upward toward the object.
To understand why, we need to consider Newton's third law of motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In the context of this question, the object in orbit exerts a gravitational force on the Earth, pulling it towards the object. As a result, the Earth also exerts an equal and opposite force on the object, keeping it in its circular orbit.
This reaction force is often referred to as the centripetal force, which is necessary to maintain the object's circular motion. The force acts radially inward from the object's position towards the center of the Earth. Therefore, the correct answer is that the reaction force is a force that acts on the Earth, directed upward toward the object.