Question:

Which one of the following laws is most applicable to describe the motion of the satellites of the earth?

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Satellites move around the Earth in elliptical orbits. The laws that specifically describe the orbital motion of bodies around a central mass are Kepler's laws of planetary motion.
Updated On: Jun 16, 2026
  • Newton's laws
  • Kepler's laws
  • Einstein's theory of relativity
  • Kirchhoff's laws
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The Correct Option is B

Solution and Explanation

Concept:
Satellites move around the Earth in elliptical orbits. The laws that specifically describe the orbital motion of bodies around a central mass are Kepler's laws of planetary motion.

Step 1:
Kepler's three laws state that orbits are ellipses with the central body at one focus, that a line joining the body to the centre sweeps equal areas in equal times, and that the square of the orbital period is proportional to the cube of the orbit's semi-major axis.

Step 2:
These laws were originally derived for planets around the Sun, but they apply equally to any satellite orbiting the Earth, making them the most directly applicable description of satellite motion.

Answer: Option (2) — Kepler's laws.
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