What orbital speed is characteristic of a body at the Apoapsis point?

Answer

The minimum orbital velocity

Apoapsis, known specifically as aphelion for Earth orbiting the Sun, represents the point in an elliptical orbit where the orbiting body is farthest away from the central mass. Due to the necessity of sweeping out equal areas in equal times (Kepler's Second Law), when the body is far away from the central mass, it must traverse its path more slowly. This is because the cross-section of the area swept out per unit time is broader when the body is distant. Therefore, the body moves at its slowest pace, achieving its minimum orbital velocity at apoapsis. The opposite condition occurs at periapsis (closest approach), where the body moves at its maximum orbital velocity to cover the narrower area swept out in the same time interval.

What orbital speed is characteristic of a body at the Apoapsis point?

#Videos

Why Are Planetary Orbits Elliptical? - YouTube

Related Questions

Where does the central body, like the Sun, reside in an elliptical orbit based on Kepler's First Law?What eccentricity value ($e$) defines a perfectly circular orbit?What orbital speed is characteristic of a body at the Apoapsis point?What physical consequence is implied by Kepler's Second Law, the Law of Equal Areas?Which conservation law determines that a total negative energy results in a closed orbit?How is the critical parameter Eccentricity ($e$) mathematically defined in relation to the ellipse geometry?What is the specific term used for the farthest point in Earth's orbit around the Sun?What type of orbit results if the initial velocity vector results in an eccentricity $e=1$?What special calculation method is required to determine the exact perimeter length of the Earth's elliptical orbit?What is the primary requirement for a satellite to achieve a Geostationary Orbit ($e=0$)?
physicsastronomyorbitshapeelliptical