An Earth satellite is in an elliptical orbit. The satellite travels fastest when it is
A)nearest the Earth.
B)farthest from the Earth.
C)neither

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Kepler's second law, the line joining the planet and the sun sweeps out equal areas in equal times. This means that as the satellite moves closer to the Earth, it moves faster to cover the same area in the same amount of time. Therefore, the satellite travels fastest when it is nearest the Earth.

An Earth Satellite Is in an Elliptical Orbit