What is an orbit?
An orbit is the curved path of one celestial object or spacecraft, around another celestial object.
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What provides the force that allows planets and satellites to maintain their circular orbits?
Gravity is responsible for keeping planets and satellites in circular orbits.
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Does a planet in orbit around a star have a constant velocity? Explain.
It has a constant speed but will not have a constant velocity because its direction will constantly be changing.
(remember, velocity is a measure of speed and direction, so if direction changes - velocity changes)
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What must happen to an orbiting object's speed if the radius of its orbit decreases?
If the radius of the orbit decreases, the orbital speed must increase for it to maintain a stable orbit.
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Are objects in orbit accelerating? Explain.
Yes, objects in orbit are accelerating, as their direction is constantly changing, which means their velocity is changing.
Any change in velocity is considered acceleration (even if the speed remains the same).
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