The time period of a satellite of earth is 24 hours. If the separation between the earth and the satellite is decreased to one fourth of the previous value, then its new time period will become.
- (A)4 hours
- (B)6 hours
- (C)12 hours
- (D)3 hours✓ Correct
Answer: (D)
Solution
By Kepler's third law the square of the period scales as the cube of the orbital radius, . Reducing the separation to a quarter, , scales the period by . Starting from hours, the new period is hours.
JEE Main · 2023 · 29 Jan 2023 · Shift 2 · Single correct option