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Which statement about geostationary satellites is correct? A They appear to be in a fixed position relative to a point on the Earth - OCR Gateway - GCSE Physics - Question 6 - 2020 - Paper 1
Question 6
Which statement about geostationary satellites is correct? A They appear to be in a fixed position relative to a point on the Earth. B They are in a polar orbit.... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Which statement about geostationary satellites is correct? A They appear to be in a fixed position relative to a point on the Earth - OCR Gateway - GCSE Physics - Question 6 - 2020 - Paper 1
Step 1
Which statement about geostationary satellites is correct?
Answer
Geostationary satellites are specifically designed to match the Earth’s rotation. They orbit the Earth at an altitude where their orbital period matches the rotational period of the Earth, which is approximately 24 hours. This results in these satellites appearing to remain stationary relative to a specific point on the Earth's surface.
Thus, the correct answer is:
A. They appear to be in a fixed position relative to a point on the Earth.
Explanation of Other Options:
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B. They are in a polar orbit. This statement is incorrect because geostationary satellites are not in a polar orbit; they orbit over the equator.
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C. They are positioned 400 km above the Earth’s surface. This is also incorrect. Geostationary satellites typically orbit at approximately 35,786 km above the Earth's equator.
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D. They take 2 hours to orbit the Earth. This statement is incorrect as well; geostationary satellites take about 24 hours to complete one orbit.