Question

Question
Which factor is not needed when calculating the velocity of a satellite orbiting a planet?(1 point)
Responses

the orbital radius of the satellite
the orbital radius of the satellite

the mass of the planet
the mass of the planet

the mass of the satellite
the mass of the satellite

the universal gravitational constant

Answer 1

wrong

Answer 2

The factor that is not needed when calculating the velocity of a satellite orbiting a planet is **the mass of the satellite**.

The formula for the orbital velocity \( v \) of a satellite in a circular orbit around a planet is given by:

\[
v = \sqrt{\frac{GM}{r}}
\]

where:
- \( G \) is the universal gravitational constant,
- \( M \) is the mass of the planet, and
- \( r \) is the orbital radius (distance from the center of the planet to the satellite).

As seen in this formula, the mass of the satellite does not appear, thus it is not needed for calculating the orbital velocity.

Answer 3

I apologize for any confusion caused in my previous response. Let's clarify the calculation of the velocity of a satellite:

The velocity of a satellite in a circular orbit is given by the equation:

\[
v = \sqrt{\frac{GM}{r}}
\]

where:
- \( v \) is the orbital velocity,
- \( G \) is the universal gravitational constant,
- \( M \) is the mass of the planet,
- \( r \) is the orbital radius (the distance from the center of the planet to the satellite).

In this formula, the only factors required to calculate the velocity of the satellite are:
1. The orbital radius of the satellite (\( r \))
2. The mass of the planet (\( M \))
3. The universal gravitational constant (\( G \))

**The mass of the satellite** does not affect the orbital velocity, so it is indeed the correct answer to the question regarding which factor is not needed when calculating the velocity of a satellite orbiting a planet.

If there is anything specific you would like to discuss further or clarify, please let me know!