A satellite is a large distance from a planet, and the gravitational force from the planet is the only significant force exerted on the satellite. The satellite begins falling toward the planet, eventually colliding with the surface of the planet. As the satellite falls,
which of the following claims is correct about how the force that the planet exerts on the satellite Fps changes and how the force
that the satellite exerts on the planet Fsp changes, if at all? What reasoning supports this claim?
A
Fps and Fs both increase. The gravitational forces that two objects exert on one another decrease as the
separation between the objects increases, and these forces are always equal in magnitude.
B
Fps increases while Fsp remains constant. The gravitational force exerted by a planet on a satellite decreases
as the separation between the two objects increases, and the force exerted by the satellite on the planet remains
negligibly small.
с
Fps remains constant while Fgp increases. The gravitational force exerted by a planet on a satellite is a constant
equal to the weight of the satellite, and the gravitational force exerted by the satellite on the planet decreases as
the separation between the two objects increases.
D
Fps and Fs both remain constant
. The gravitational forces that a planet and a satellite exert on one another is a
constant equal to the weight of the satellite.