Rhea is locked into a synchronous orbit by the strong gravitational pull of Saturn.This suggests that its orbital eccentricity (e)is close to:
A) 0.
B) π
C) 1.
D) infinite.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A synchronous orbit means that the moon's period of rotation is equal to its period of revolution around Saturn. This requires that the moon's orbital eccentricity be close to zero. If the eccentricity were higher, the moon would move in and out of range of Saturn's gravitational influence, causing variations in its speed and preventing it from maintaining a fixed position in its orbit. A value of π or 1 would indicate a highly elliptical orbit, while infinity is not a valid value for eccentricity.

Rhea Is Locked into a Synchronous Orbit by the Strong