A geostationary satellitea)Revolves about the polar axisb)Has a time p...
Geostationary satellite is a type of satellite which is placed in the orbit at a specific altitude such that it revolves around the Earth's equator in the same direction as that of the Earth's rotation. This satellite appears to be stationary from the Earth's surface due to its synchronous rotation with the Earth.
Polar Axis
The axis of rotation of the Earth is the imaginary line that passes through the North and South Poles. The geostationary satellite revolves around the Earth's equator, which is perpendicular to the polar axis. Therefore, the satellite does not revolve around the polar axis.
Time period
The time period of a satellite is the time taken by it to complete one revolution around the Earth. The time period of a geostationary satellite is equal to the time taken by the Earth to complete one rotation around its axis, which is approximately 24 hours. This is the reason why the satellite appears to be stationary from the Earth's surface.
Speed
The speed of a satellite depends on its altitude and the mass of the Earth. The geostationary satellite is placed at an altitude of about 36,000 km from the Earth's surface, which is much higher than the altitude of a near Earth satellite. Due to this, the geostationary satellite moves at a much slower speed than a near Earth satellite.
Stationary in Space
As mentioned earlier, the geostationary satellite appears to be stationary from the Earth's surface due to its synchronous rotation with the Earth. However, in reality, the satellite is moving in an orbit around the Earth. It is not stationary in the space.
Conclusion
Thus, the correct option is A) Revolves about the polar axis, as the geostationary satellite does not revolve around the polar axis, but around the Earth's equator.
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