a satellite is orbiting the Earth in an elliptical path. Which of the following does not impact the velocity of the satellite? The height/distance the satellite is from the Earth; the mass of the Earth; the mass of the satellite; or all of these factors impact the velocity of the satellite.

Answer 1

The velocity of a satellite in orbit is influenced by several factors, but among the options you've listed, the mass of the satellite does not directly impact its orbital velocity.

The factors that do impact the velocity of the satellite include:

1. Height/distance from the Earth: The altitude of the satellite affects the gravitational force acting on it, which in turn affects its orbital velocity.

2. Mass of the Earth: The gravitational force that keeps the satellite in orbit depends on the mass of the Earth. A more massive Earth would exert a greater gravitational pull, requiring a higher orbital velocity to maintain the orbit at a given distance.

Therefore, the correct answer is that the mass of the satellite does not impact the velocity of the satellite in a significant way when considering circular orbits. In fact, according to Newton's law of universal gravitation, the orbital velocity depends on the mass of the central body (Earth) and the distance from the center of that body, but not on the mass of the satellite itself.