Which of the following statements are true?

a. A satellite's motion is independent of its mass.

b. A satellite's velocity and orbital radius are independent of each other.

c. A geosynchronous satellite has a period of approximately 28 days.

d. The launch speed of a satellite determines the shape of its orbit around Earth.

The correct options are (a) and (d)

a. A satellite's motion is independent of its mass.

d. The launch speed of a satellite determines the shape of its orbit around Earth

Explanation:

The velocity of the satellite is given by the equation

v = √ (GM) / R

Where G is gravitational constant, M is the mass of the target planet and R is the orbital radius.

Therefore, we can conclude that the motion of satellite doesn't depend on its mass.

The gravitational force doesn't change the speed of a satellite so it means that the initial velocity of the satellite will determine the orbital path of the satellite.

A geosynchronous satellite has a period of 1 day.

Answer: b and c

Explanation:

b. A satellite's velocity and orbital radius are independent of each other.

c. A geosynchronous satellite has a period of approximately