How fast are geostationary satellites moving?

From a Newtonian perspective, the equation for the speed of a satellite in circular orbit around the Earth at a radius r can be derived by equating centripetal acceleration to the acceleration due to gravity so that the speed v is the square root of the gravitational constant times the mass of Earth, divided by r. This v depends on the r, but the radius of an object in geostationary circular orbit around Earth can be determined by substituting 'two times pi, divided by the period' for the speed. Since the period of Earth's rotation, along with its mass are all known values, you can find the radius and plug that into your first equation to solve for the speed.

AL
Answered by Angus L. Physics tutor

3926 Views

See similar Physics GCSE tutors

Related Physics GCSE answers

All answers ▸

how do i calculate acceleration?


Describe the forces acting on an object on earth falling through the air, and how they change from when the object is first released into the air leading to terminal velocity.


A charged particle in a cyclotron moves in a circle with radius 5mm. If the field in the cyclotron is 0.06 T and the velocity of the particle is 2.4x10^7, what is the charge-mass ratio of the particle?


Write the equations of motion for constant acceleration and describe each term involved. Explain how to apply these equations of motion to calculate the horizontal and vertical components of a projectile moving under the force of gravity only.


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning