When space probe Voyager 2 passed by Saturn,its speed increased (but not due to firing its engines).What must have happened?
A)Voyager 2 must have dipped through Saturn's atmosphere.
B)Saturn's rotation must have sped up slightly.
C)Saturn must have lost a very tiny bit of its orbital energy.
D)Saturn must have captured an asteroid at precisely the moment that Voyager 2 passed by.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to the law of conservation of momentum, the total momentum of a system must remain constant unless acted upon by an external force. As Voyager 2 passed by Saturn, it exchanged gravitational potential energy with the planet. This resulted in Saturn losing a very tiny bit of its orbital energy, causing it to move slightly slower in its orbit around the Sun, while Voyager 2 increased its speed due to conservation of momentum.

When Space Probe Voyager 2 Passed by Saturn,its Speed Increased