WorksheetsOrbit Physics
Total questions: 9
Worksheet time: 5mins
When you toss a projectile sideways, it curves as it falls. It will be an Earth satellite if the curve it follows
matches the curve of planet Earth.
results in a straight line.
spirals out indefinitely.
is within 150 kilometers of Earth’s surface
When a satellite travels at constant speed, its shape is a(n)
circle.
ellipse.
oval that is almost elliptical.
square.
A satellite in elliptical orbit about Earth travels
fastest when it moves closer to Earth.
fastest when it moves farther from Earth.
slowest when it moves closer to Earth.
at the same rate for the entire orbit.
Energy is conserved when an Earth satellite travels
in either a circular or elliptical orbit.
in only an elliptical orbit.
away from Earth.
toward Earth
Kepler is credited as being the first to discover that the paths of planets around the sun are
circles.
ellipses.
straight lines most of the time.
spirals.
When a projectile achieves escape speed from Earth, it
forever leaves Earth’s gravitational field.
outruns the influence of Earth’s gravity, but is never beyond it.
comes to an eventual stop, eventually returning to Earth at some future time.
has a potential energy and a kinetic energy that are reduced to zero.
The orbital path of a satellite is shown in the sketch. Use the sketch to answer the question.
In which of the positions A through D does the satellite have the most KE?
A
B
C
D
The orbital path of a satellite is shown in the sketch. Use the sketch to answer the question.
At what point does the satellite have most PE?
A
B
C
D
The orbital path of a satellite is shown in the sketch. Use the sketch to answer the question.
At what point does it have highest total energy?
Point B
point A
point D
total energy is the same everywhere in the orbit
