Orbital Velocity | MCQs

Explanation

The velocity of a satellite is independent of its mass.

According to Kepler's laws, velocity is determined by the orbit's semi-major axis and the central body's gravitational constant (G), not by the satellite's mass.

Explanation

The critical velocity (vc) is the minimum velocity an object must have to orbit the Earth without falling to the ground.

It is given by the formula:

vc = √(gR)

where:

• g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s²)
• R is the radius of the Earth (approximately 6,371 kilometers)