The correct answer is D. reduced to zero.
Weight is the force of gravity acting on an object. The force of gravity is proportional to the mass of the object and the mass of the Earth. The mass of an object is the same everywhere, but the force of gravity is different at different distances from the Earth.
When an object is in orbit around the Earth, it is moving at a speed that is just fast enough to keep it from falling back to Earth. The force of gravity is still acting on the object, but it is also being counteracted by the object’s inertia. The object is constantly falling towards the Earth, but it is also moving sideways so fast that it never actually hits the ground.
The force of gravity is strongest at the surface of the Earth and gets weaker as you get further away. When an object is in orbit, it is much further away from the Earth than it is on the surface, so the force of gravity is much weaker. This is why the weight of an object in orbit is reduced to zero.
Option A is incorrect because the weight of an object in orbit is not the same as on the Earth. Option B is incorrect because the weight of an object in orbit is not slightly more than that on the Earth. Option C is incorrect because the weight of an object in orbit is not less than that on the Earth.