If the Moon is suddenly and inexplicably moved to four times its current distance from Earth, its orbital speed ______________________________________.
A) increases by a factor of 2
B) increases by a factor of 4
C) decreases by a factor of 2
D) decreases by a factor of 4
E) is unchanged due to its low mass

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The orbital speed of an object is inversely proportional to the square root of its orbital radius. If the Moon's distance is increased by a factor of 4, its orbital speed decreases by a factor of √4, which is 2.

If the Moon Is Suddenly and Inexplicably Moved to Four