Which celestial body would have the strongest gravitational pull on a satellite orbiting 100 km above its surface? Explain your

Answer:

Jupiter

Explanation

The gravitational pull is determined by the mass of the celestial body. It follows that the gravitational force increases with the mass of the object.

For a satellite with mass m that orbits at 100 km above the surface, the gravitational force can be calculated using the formula below:

The variables are defined as follows:

G = universal gravitational constant

m = mass of the satellite

M = mass of the celestial body exerting the pull on the satellite

r = distance from the satellite to the celestial body

The gravitational force reaches its peak when M is maximized.

Since Jupiter is the largest planet and possesses the greatest mass, it will exert the strongest gravitational influence on a satellite positioned 100 km above its surface.