Question

Assertion: On satellite we feel weightlessness. Moon is also a satellite of earth. But we do not feel weightlessness on the moon.
Reason: Mass of moon is considerable.

A.)Both assertion and reason are correct and reason is the correct explanation for assertion.
B.)Both assertion and reason are correct but reason is not the correct explanation for assertion.
C.)Assertion is correct but reason is incorrect
D.)Both assertion and reason are incorrect

Answer 1

Hint: Weightlessness can be defined as the situation where no force is acting on you. Define the condition due to which we feel weightlessness in satellites. Then imagine the same case for the moon and try to explain the discrepancy in this case. The difference is due to the huge difference in mass of satellite and moon.

Complete step by step answer:
The man-made satellites or the moon revolves around the earth due to its gravitational attraction.
In a satellite the gravitational force with which the earth is attracting the satellite provides the required centripetal force to the satellite to revolve around the earth. For every rotating body in a circle, there is a pseudo force acting on it which is equal and opposite to the centripetal force called the centrifugal force. These forces equal and opposite each other and hence, cancel each other. So, we don’t feel any external force and we feel weightlessness on the satellite.
Moon is a natural satellite of earth. Moon is also revolving around the gravitational attraction of earth to the moon. The same things happen to the moon also but the mass of the moon is very large compared to a man-made satellite. So, we feel a weight on the moon because it attracts the objects towards it due to its large mass. For man made satellites the mass is very small and the attraction is quite negligible.

So, we can say that both assertion and reason are correct and reason is the correct explanation for assertion.
The correct option is (A)

Note: We feel weight on the moon but it is much less than the weight on earth. This is because the mass of the moon is very less than the mass of earth and hence the gravitational also becomes lower. Because of the lower gravity, weight will also be less on the moon.