An Earth satellite is in an elliptical orbit. The satellite travels fastest when it is
A)nearest Earth.
B)farthest from Earth.
C)It travels at a constant speed everywhere in orbit.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When a satellite is nearest to Earth in its elliptical orbit, it travels at its fastest due to the stronger gravitational pull at this point, known as the perigee. This is explained by Kepler's laws of planetary motion, specifically the law of areas, which states that a line segment joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time, leading to faster speeds when the satellite is closer to Earth.

An Earth Satellite Is in an Elliptical Orbit