Exam-style question
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If the radius of a satellite's orbit is doubled, what happens to its orbital period?.
- A.The orbital period remains the same
- B.The orbital period doubles
- C.The orbital period increases by a factor of √2
- D.The orbital period increases by a factor of 2√2
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- The orbital period increases by a factor of 2√2
Explanation
Why this works
The orbital period T is given by T = 2π√(r^3/GM). If the radius r is doubled, the new period becomes T' = 2π√((2r)^3/GM) = 2π√(8r^3/GM) = 2√2 * T, indicating that the period increases by a factor of 2√2.
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