Eccentricity

Front

What is eccentricity in the context of orbits?

Back

Eccentricity is a measure of how much an orbit deviates from being circular. It ranges from 0 (circular) to 1 (parabolic) and greater than 1 indicates a hyperbolic trajectory.

Front

What is the formula for calculating eccentricity (e)?

Back

e = c/a, where 'c' is the distance from the center to the focus and 'a' is the distance from the center to a vertex.

Front

What does an eccentricity of 0.600 indicate about an orbit?

Back

An eccentricity of 0.600 indicates that the orbit is elliptical and somewhat elongated, but not highly eccentric.

Front

What is the aphelion in an orbit?

Back

The aphelion is the point in the orbit of a planet where it is farthest from the Sun.

Front

What is the perihelion in an orbit?

Back

The perihelion is the point in the orbit of a planet where it is closest to the Sun.

Front

How does eccentricity affect the speed of a planet in its orbit?

Back

A planet moves faster when it is closer to the Sun (at perihelion) and slower when it is farther away (at aphelion).

Front

What is the range of eccentricity values for elliptical orbits?

Back

The range of eccentricity values for elliptical orbits is from 0 to 1.

Front

What is the significance of an eccentricity value of 1?

Back

An eccentricity value of 1 indicates a parabolic trajectory, which is the boundary between bound and unbound orbits.

Front

What is the significance of an eccentricity value greater than 1?

Back

An eccentricity value greater than 1 indicates a hyperbolic trajectory, meaning the object is not bound to the Sun.

Front

If a planet's orbit has an eccentricity of 0.800, how would you describe its shape?

Back

The orbit would be considered highly elliptical, meaning it is elongated and deviates significantly from a circle.