The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) space probe was designed to study the atmosphere of Mars. It was launched from Earth in 2013. The diagram below shows the orbit of both the MAVEN space probe and the moon Phobos around Mars.

Question

Image courtesy of NASA

The image shown is not to scale. Which of the following best describes both Phobos and MAVEN?
A.
Their orbital path and speed both depend on Mars' gravity.
B.
Phobos experiences gravity, but MAVEN does not.
C.
Phobos and MAVEN both pull on Mars with the same amount of gravity.
D.
Their orbital path and speed both depend on Mars' rotation.

Answer 1

The best description of both Phobos and MAVEN is:

A. Their orbital path and speed both depend on Mars' gravity.

Both Phobos, which is a moon of Mars, and MAVEN, which orbits Mars, are influenced by the gravitational pull of Mars, affecting their orbits and speeds. While other options touch on gravity or weight, only option A accurately captures the relationship of their orbits in relation to Mars' gravity.