Planets Go Around the Sun in Elliptical Orbits

question 12

Multiple Choice

Planets go around the sun in elliptical orbits. The highly exaggerated diagram below shows a portion of such an orbit and the force on the planet at one position along that orbit. The planet is moving to the right. F_|| and are the components of the force parallel (tangential) and perpendicular (normal) to the orbit. The work they do is W_|| and . At the position shown

• A) W_|| slows the planet down; speeds it up.
• B) W_|| slows the planet down; does no work on it.
• C) W_|| speeds the planet up; does no work on it.
• D) W_|| speeds the planet up; slows it down.
• E) W_|| does no work on it; speeds the planet up.

---

Definitions:

Glacier

A large, slow-moving mass of ice, formed by the accumulation and compaction of snow, which shapes the landscape as it flows.

Continental Collision

The process where two continental tectonic plates collide, resulting in mountain building and seismic activity.

Compound Interest

Interest calculated on both the initial principal and the accumulated interest from previous periods, leading to exponential growth over time.

Compounded Daily

Refers to the process of calculating interest on an initial principal, which includes both the accumulated interest from previous periods and the principal itself, on a daily basis.