Answer to Question #329261 in Mechanics | Relativity for Shiwa Theja

Question

a) As the meteor falls through the atmosphere the gravitational force continues to act on it. Suppose in a given instance the meteor is at a distance of 4000 km from earth. What would be the direction of the force that acts on it at that location?

b) Imagine it has approached near earth and now it is at a distance of 400 km from earth. What will be the direction of the gravitational force now?

Answer 1

The direction of the gravitational force acting on the meteor does not depend on the distance between the meteor and the earth and is always directed from the meteor to the center of the earth.