When a satellite moves in a circular orbit around a planet, does it have constant momentum, velocity or acceleration?
No. They are vectors with changing direction
Same answer as yesterday.
Its an ABC question.
the satellite has a constant
a. momentum
b. velocity
c. acceleration
so now which do i pick?
When a satellite moves in a circular orbit around a planet, its velocity and momentum change continuously, while its acceleration remains constant.
To understand this, we need to first explain the basic concepts related to circular motion.
Velocity is a vector quantity that specifies the speed and direction of motion. Momentum is also a vector quantity defined as the product of an object's mass and its velocity. Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity.
In circular motion, the satellite experiences a centripetal force directed towards the center of the orbit. This force continuously changes the direction of the satellite's velocity, keeping it on its circular path. Therefore, the satellite's velocity is constantly changing, even though the magnitude of the velocity (speed) remains constant. This is because velocity is a vector quantity that includes both speed and direction.
Since velocity is changing, the momentum of the satellite also changes as momentum depends on both mass and velocity. The direction of the momentum vector at any given point in the orbit also changes as the satellite moves around the planet.
However, the acceleration of the satellite remains constant throughout its circular orbit. This is because acceleration is determined by the centripetal force, which is always directed towards the center of the circular path. The magnitude of the acceleration remains constant, but its direction changes as the satellite moves around the planet.
So, to summarize, when a satellite moves in a circular orbit around a planet, its momentum and velocity continuously change, while its acceleration remains constant.