select the correct answer. a meteor is approaching earth. which statement about its motion is true? a. the…

select the correct answer. a meteor is approaching earth. which statement about its motion is true? a. the meteor travels upward relative to earth. b. the meteor accelerates. c. the meteor is out of earths gravitational force field. d. the meteor falls with a constant velocity.

select the correct answer. a meteor is approaching earth. which statement about its motion is true? a. the meteor travels upward relative to earth. b. the meteor accelerates. c. the meteor is out of earths gravitational force field. d. the meteor falls with a constant velocity.

Answer

Explanation:

Step1: Analyze gravitational force

When a meteor approaches Earth, it is under Earth's gravitational - pull. According to Newton's law of universal gravitation, every object attracts every other object with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.

Step2: Determine motion characteristics

The gravitational force causes an acceleration on the meteor. As the meteor gets closer to Earth, the gravitational force increases, and it accelerates.

Step3: Evaluate each option

  • Option A: A meteor approaching Earth travels downward relative to Earth, not upward, so A is incorrect.
  • Option B: Due to Earth's gravitational force, the meteor accelerates, so B is correct.
  • Option C: The meteor is well within Earth's gravitational - force field when approaching Earth, so C is incorrect.
  • Option D: Since there is a non - zero net force (gravitational force) acting on the meteor, it cannot fall with a constant velocity according to Newton's second law ($F = ma$), so D is incorrect.

Answer:

B. The meteor accelerates.