8.1.5

Stable Orbits

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Stable Orbits

Objects in the Solar System travel in stable orbits. There is a relationship between their speed and radius.

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Stable orbit

  • If the speed of the object in orbit changes, the radius of the orbit also changes.
    • If the radius of the orbit decreases, the speed increases as the gravitational attraction is greater.
    • If the radius of the orbit increases, the speed decreases as the gravitational attraction is smaller.
  • This explains why planets closer to the sun travel at a faster speed.

Jump to other topics

1Energy

2Electricity

3Particle Model of Matter

4Atoms & Radiation

5Forces

5.1Basics of Motion

5.2Forces

5.3Effects of Forces

5.4Pressure

6Waves

7Magnetism

8Astrophysics

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