SPACE - Orbits

Question 1

What happens to the speed of an object in its orbit?

Answer 1

Stays the same

Question 2

What happens to the acceleration of an object in its orbit?

Answer 2

Constantly accelerating

Question 3

What happens to the velocity of an object in its orbit?

Answer 3

Constantly changing

Question 4

What is the difference between speed and velocity?

Answer 4

Speed only tells you how fast the object is, velocity tells you the speed AND the direction of the object.

Question 5

How does an object in orbit have a constantly changing velocity?

Answer 5

Velocity tells us both speed and direction of the object, and an object in orbit is constantly changing direction, so even if the speed stays, the velocity changes.

Question 6

How is an object constantly accelerating in an orbit?

Answer 6

The object is constantly changing direction, which means it’s constantly accelerating.

Question 7

For an object to continue its orbit, what forces must be applied to the object?

Answer 7

1. Gravity
2. Velocity

Question 8

How do the forces applied to an object keep it orbiting?

Answer 8

Gravity pulls the object in, but because it is already moving (has velocity), it causes it to change direction, rather than being pulled completely in.

Question 9

What happens to the gravitational force the closer you get to a star or planet?

Answer 9

It gets stronger.

Question 10

What is the relationship between the strength of gravitational pull and an object’s orbit?

Answer 10

The stronger the force, the faster the orbiting object must travel to stay in its orbit.

Question 11

What is the relationship between the speed of an orbiting object and the size of the object’s orbit?

Answer 11

1. Faster-moving objects are stable in small orbits
2. Slower-moving objects are stable in larger orbits