Question

sally is an astronaut who has a mass of 60 kg. Currently she is conducting experiments in a permanent space station that is orbiting the earth at an altitude (height above the earth's surface) equal to the ONE THIRD of the earth's radius. What is Sally's weight measured by a bathroom scale in the space station during stable earth orbit?

A)400N
B)150N
C)300N
D)600N
E)ZERO

Answer 1

Here ,

radius of earth , R = 6371 km

for height , h = R/3

as the space station is orbiting the earth

hence ,the gravtitational force = centripetal force

the normal force will be zero

reading on bathroom scale = gravtitational force - centripetal force

reading on bathroom scale = 0

Sally's weight measured by a bathroom scale in the space station during stable earth orbit is E) ZERO