Satellite in Space: Why Freely Falling?

[sarthak sharma]

Q1 Why does a satellite(or any space capsule etc) moving in a stable circular orbit around Earth behaves like a freely falling body??

Q2 Why do the astronauts in these capsules are said to be in weightless condition??

i m not much convinced with the solutions to my doubts so i would appreciate if i can get a much satisfactory answer...

 

[sarthak sharma]

@collinsmark

 

[collinsmark]

I'm interested to hear your attempted solutions.

But isn't a satellite in a stable orbit freely falling? I mean, perhaps a satellite in a stable orbit behaves like a freely falling body because it is a freely falling body?

Also, you might want to throw in something about the centripetal force somewhere along the way.

 

[haruspex]

Q1 Why does a satellite(or any space capsule etc) moving in a stable circular orbit around Earth behaves like a freely falling body??

Q2 Why do the astronauts in these capsules are said to be in weightless condition??

i m not much convinced with the solutions to my doubts so i would appreciate if i can get a much satisfactory answer...

If these are questions you've been given, you need to post your own attempts at answers.

 

[HalfLostAndSearching]

A1: A satellite or any space capsule moving in a stable circular orbit around Earth behaves like a freely falling body because it is constantly under the influence of Earth's gravitational force. In order to stay in orbit, the satellite must be moving at a specific velocity known as orbital velocity. This velocity is carefully calculated so that the centripetal force of the satellite's motion is equal to the gravitational force pulling it towards Earth. As a result, the satellite is in a state of constant free fall towards Earth, but its horizontal velocity keeps it from crashing into the planet. This is similar to how a person in an elevator experiences weightlessness when the elevator is in free fall.

A2: Astronauts in these capsules are said to be in a weightless condition because they are essentially in a constant state of free fall. Since they are orbiting the Earth at the same rate as the satellite, they experience the same acceleration due to gravity as the satellite. This creates a feeling of weightlessness because there is no external force acting on their bodies. However, they are still subject to the same gravitational force from Earth, which is why they are not completely weightless. The term "microgravity" is often used to describe this condition because the gravitational force is significantly reduced compared to what we experience on the surface of Earth.