Question

A moon orbiting around the earth because of :
a. zero acceleration
b. centripetal acceleration
c. neutral acceleration
d. centrifugal acceleration

Answer 1

Option b is correct

centripetal acceleration

The centripetal force required to maintain planets in orbit around the Sun and all sorts of satellites in orbit around the Earth is provided by gravitational attraction. The Moon is kept in orbit around us by the gravity of the Earth. This means that, despite its constant speed, gravity causes the Moon to accelerate all the time.

The direction of an item moving in a circle at a constant speed changes continually. A change in velocity is caused by a change in direction. This is because velocity is a vector quantity, meaning it has both a magnitude and a direction. Because acceleration is caused by a change in velocity, an object travelling in a circle is accelerating even though its speed remains constant.

Answer 2

centripetal acceleration

option b is the correct answer.

• Because of the Earth's gravity the moon orbiting around the earth.
• The gravitational attraction provides the centripetal force.
• The centripetal force is used to keep planets in orbit around the Sun and all types of satellites in orbit around the Earth.
• The Earth's gravity keeps changing the direction of the Moon's velocity.
• The gravity makes the Moon accelerate all the time, even though its speed remains constant.
• A change in velocity results in acceleration.

Hence, we say that a moon orbiting around the earth because of centripetal acceleration.

The following fig. shows the Moon orbits the Earth: