Question

Statement I : The total energy of a satellite is negative.
Statement II : Gravitational potential energy of an object is negative.

• A. If both statement I and statement II are true and statement II is the correct explanation of statement I
• B. If both statement I and statement II are true but statement II is not the correct explanation of statement I
• C. If statement I is true but statement II is false
• D. If both statement I and statement II are false

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

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 total energy of the satellite is negative. The total energy is negative for any bound system, that is one in which the object is closed.