Orbits of Satellites Quick Check

Question

3 of 33 of 3 Items
Question
Which factor is not needed when calculating the velocity of a satellite orbiting a planet?(1 point)
Responses

the universal gravitational constant
the universal gravitational constant

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

the mass of the satellite
the mass of the satellite

the mass of the planet
the mass of the planet
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Answer 1

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

When calculating the orbital velocity of a satellite, the equation used is derived from the balance of gravitational force and centripetal force, which depends only on the mass of the planet and the distance from the center of the planet to the satellite (orbital radius). The mass of the satellite does not affect the orbital velocity.