Eccentricity

Front

What is eccentricity in the context of orbits?

Back

Eccentricity is a measurement of how elliptical an orbit is, indicating the deviation of the orbit from a perfect circle.

Front

What is the eccentricity of a perfect circle?

Back

0

Front

What is the eccentricity of an ellipse with a long axis much longer than the short axis?

Back

Close to 1, indicating a highly elongated shape.

Front

What is perihelion?

Back

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

Front

What is aphelion?

Back

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

Front

How does eccentricity affect the shape of an orbit?

Back

Higher eccentricity values result in more elongated orbits, while lower values indicate more circular orbits.

Front

What is the range of eccentricity values for any conic section?

Back

Eccentricity values range from 0 to 1 for ellipses, 1 for parabolas, and greater than 1 for hyperbolas.

Front

What is the formula for calculating eccentricity (e) of an ellipse?

Back

e = √(1 - (b²/a²)), where 'a' is the semi-major axis and 'b' is the semi-minor axis.

Front

What does an eccentricity of 1 indicate?

Back

An eccentricity of 1 indicates a parabolic trajectory.

Front

What does an eccentricity greater than 1 indicate?

Back

An eccentricity greater than 1 indicates a hyperbolic trajectory.