An artificial earth satellite is rotating in an elliptical orbit. When does it experience the greatest centripetal acceleration?

When it first enters orbit

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When it is nearest to the earth

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When it is farthest from the earth

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When it leaves the orbit

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Its centripetal acceleration is always the same

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Solution

The correct option is C When it is nearest to the earth
Centripetal acceleration $a = \frac{G M}{r^{2}}$ where $M$ is the mass of earth and $r$ is the distance between earth and satellite
$⟹$ $a \propto \frac{1}{r^{2}}$

Thus the centripetal acceleration is the greatest when the satellite is nearest to the earth.

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An artificial earth satellite is rotating in an elliptical orbit. When does it experience the greatest centripetal acceleration?

The correct option is C When it is nearest to the earthCentripetal acceleration a=GMr2 where M is the mass of earth and r is the distance between earth and satellite⟹ a∝1r2Thus the centripetal acceleration is the greatest when the satellite is nearest to the earth.