Gravitation: Orbits


Terms (orbits)

Terms

Escape velocity  -  The escape velocity is the minimum surface speed required to completely escape the gravitational field of a planet. It does not depend on the direction of launch. It is given by:

v =    

Viscous Drag  -  Viscous drag occurs when a satellite interacts with air molecules in the upper atmosphere. The friction generated with the atmosphere speeds up the satellite but spirals it into a lower orbit.

Formulae

 
Relation between r and θ :

= (1 + εcosθ)    

 
Minimum radius:

r min =    

 
Maximum radius:

r max =    

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