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Introduction to Orbital Mechanics

Total questions: 30

Worksheet time: 24mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is an orbit?

a)

A closed path around which a planet or satellite travels

b)

A random path in space

c)

A fixed point in space

d)

A type of star.

2.

What shape do satellites orbit Earth as?

a)

Circle

b)

Ellipse

c)

Square

d)

Triangle

3.

Elliptical orbits remain fixed in space, and Earth spins under a ______ satellite orbit.

a)

moving

b)

fixed

c)

rotating

d)

shifting

4.

What is an ellipse?

a)

A three-dimensional shape

b)

A two-dimensional shape produced by a plane fully intersecting a cone

c)

A line

d)

A point.

5.

An ellipse is formed by a plane intersecting a cone. If the plane intersects the cone at an angle perpendicular to the cone’s center line, what special shape is formed?

a)

Triangle

b)

Square

c)

Circle

d)

Rectangle

6.

Fill in the blank: An ellipse is the ______ shape that is produced by a plane fully intersecting a cone.

a)

three-dimensional

b)

two-dimensional

c)

one-dimensional

7.

Fill in the blank: In an ellipse, the sum of distances from the two foci to any point on the ellipse is ______.

a)

variable

b)

constant

c)

zero

d)

infinite

8.

Which of the following statements is true about a circle?

a)

A) A circle is an ellipse with both foci at the same spot.

b)

B) A circle has two distinct foci.

c)

C) A circle's foci are always outside the circle.

d)

D) A circle has no foci.

9.

In an ellipse, 'b' defines 1/2 the ______.

a)

major axis length

b)

minor axis length

c)

distance from the center to a focal point

d)

radius of the circle

10.

What is 'c' in the context of an ellipse?

a)

1/2 the major axis length

b)

1/2 the minor axis length

c)

The distance from the center to a focal point

d)

The radius of the circle.

11.

In an ellipse, what are the focal points labeled as in the diagram?

a)

A) F1 and F2

b)

B) C and F1

c)

C) r1 and r2

d)

D) 2a and 2b

12.

Fill in the blank: The following orbit types: LEO, MEO, HEO, and ____.

a)

A) GEO

b)

B) CEO

c)

C) TEO

d)

D) FEO

13.

The Keplerian element set consists of how many parameters?

a)

4

b)

5

c)

6

d)

7

14.

Two of the Keplerian elements describe the ______ of an orbit.

a)

A) orientation

b)

B) size and shape

c)

C) location

d)

D) speed

15.

Three of the Keplerian elements describe the ______ of the orbit in space.

a)

size

b)

shape

c)

orientation

d)

location

16.

One of the Keplerian elements describes the ______ of the satellite within the orbit.

a)

size

b)

shape

c)

orientation

d)

location

17.

What does eccentricity describe?

a)

The color of an orbit

b)

The roundness of an orbit

c)

The size of an orbit

d)

The speed of an orbit.

18.

Fill in the blank: Eccentricity can vary from ____.

a)

A) 0 to 1

b)

B) 1 to 2

c)

C) -1 to 0

d)

D) 0 to 2

19.

What is the formula for calculating the eccentricity of an ellipse?

a)

e=1−b2a2e = 1 - \frac{b^2}{a^2}

b)

e = 1−b2a2\sqrt{1 - \frac{b^2}{a^2}}

c)

e=a2−b2e = a^2 - b^2

d)

e = a/b

20.

Which axis is labeled as 'a' in the diagram?

a)

Semi-major axis

b)

Semi-minor axis

c)

Major axis

d)

Minor axis

21.

Fill in the blank: The semi-minor axis is labeled as ____.

a)

A) a

b)

B) b

c)

C) c

d)

D) d

22.

What does an eccentricity of 0 indicate about an orbit?

a)

The orbit is elliptical

b)

The orbit is circular

c)

The orbit is parabolic

d)

The orbit is hyperbolic

23.

Which of the following eccentricity values would indicate a closed orbit?

a)

0.5

b)

1.0

c)

0

d)

1.5

24.

Fill in the blank: An orbit with an eccentricity of 0 is ______.

a)

A) Circular

b)

B) Elliptical

c)

C) Parabolic

d)

D) Hyperbolic

25.

In the formula T=2π×(a(3/2)/GM)T = 2\pi \times \left( a^{(3/2)} / \sqrt{GM} \right) , what does 'G' stand for?

a)

Gravitational parameter

b)

Universal gravitation constant

c)

Mass of central body

d)

Orbital period

26.

The farther a planet is from the sun, the

a)

less time it will take to revolve around the sun

b)

more time it will take to revolve around the sun

c)

distance does not play a role

27.

What shape are all stable orbits?

a)

Circles

b)

Ellipses

c)

Rectangles

d)

Round

28.

Which of these orbit planets?

a)

dwarf planets

b)

natural satellites

c)

artificial satellites

d)

comets

e)

asteroids

29.

Which is NOT a Keplerian parameter?

a)

Argument of Perigee

b)

RAAN

c)

True anomaly

d)

Argument of Apogee

30.

Which orbit is best for weather satellites?

a)

Polar orbit

b)

Equatorial orbit

c)

Both polar and equatorial orbits

d)

None of the above