Question

Assertion: The total energy of a satellite is negative.
Reason: Gravitational potential energy of an object is negative.
A. If both the assertion and reason are true and reason is a true explantion of the assertion.
B. If both the assertion and reason are true but the reason is not true the correct explantion of the assertion.
C. If the assertion is true but reason false
D. If both the assertion and reason are false.

Answer 1

Correct Answer - A
Total mechanical energy of the satellite is the sum of kinetic energy which is always positive and the gravitational potential energy which is negative and in magnitude the `K.E.` is half the `P.E.` So the the total energy of the satellite is negative. The total energy is negative for any bounded system, that is one in which the object is closest.