1. Consider a spacecraft orbiting the Sun in a circular orbit. The spacecraft fi
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Question
1. Consider a spacecraft orbiting the Sun in a circular orbit. The spacecraft fires its engines in two bursts at different times but at the same point in space, adding energy by applying work until it escapes the Suns gravity.
Compare the total energy, E, for the circular orbit A, elliptical orbit B, and parabolic trajectory C of the spacecraft. EXPLAIN.
a. EA < EB < EC
b. EA = EB = EC
c. EA > EB > EC
2.A satellite is moved with an applied thrust force from a lower circular orbit with a radius R to a higher circular orbit with a radius 2R. For the two circular orbits, compare the kinetic energy, potential energy, and mechanical energy of the satellite. Additionally, in terms of the conservation of energy equation on your equation sheet, explain whether the left-hand side of the equation equals the right-hand side, when considering the initial condition is before the thrust force is applied and the final condition is after.
3.
Suppose an object is moving along any one of the given orbital paths from Question 2. Which of these choices is correct regarding the orbits depicted? EXPLAIN.
a. The kinetic energy is constant in all the orbits/trajectories, while the potential energy changes with distance from the Sun.
b. The potential energy is constant for all points in any one of the orbits/trajectories.
c. Total energy decreases from the circular orbit A until it equals zero for the parabolic trajectory C.
d. Total energy is constant for any point along any one of the orbits/trajectories.
1. Consider a spacecraft orbiting the Sun in a circular orbit. The spacecraft fires its engines in two bursts at different times but at the same point in space, adding energy by applying work until it escapes the Suns gravity.
Compare the total energy, E, for the circular orbit A, elliptical orbit B, and parabolic trajectory C of the spacecraft. EXPLAIN.
a. EA < EB < EC
b. EA = EB = EC
c. EA > EB > EC
2.A satellite is moved with an applied thrust force from a lower circular orbit with a radius R to a higher circular orbit with a radius 2R. For the two circular orbits, compare the kinetic energy, potential energy, and mechanical energy of the satellite. Additionally, in terms of the conservation of energy equation on your equation sheet, explain whether the left-hand side of the equation equals the right-hand side, when considering the initial condition is before the thrust force is applied and the final condition is after.
3.
Suppose an object is moving along any one of the given orbital paths from Question 2. Which of these choices is correct regarding the orbits depicted? EXPLAIN.
a. The kinetic energy is constant in all the orbits/trajectories, while the potential energy changes with distance from the Sun.
b. The potential energy is constant for all points in any one of the orbits/trajectories.
c. Total energy decreases from the circular orbit A until it equals zero for the parabolic trajectory C.
d. Total energy is constant for any point along any one of the orbits/trajectories.
Explanation / Answer
Total energy will remain constant in all the orbits. In circular orbit, the velocity is constant at every point and height from central body is also a constant. In elliptical orbit, the heigth and velocity changes with position but total energy remains the same
When we transferred from orbit of radius R to orbit of radius 2R, potential energy will increase and velocity will be constant in circular orbit.
using conservation of energy
mgR + 0.5mV12 = mg(2R) + 0.5mV22
In actual the more the distance from the central body, lesser will be the speed.
Total energy will be constant at every point.
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