Whether mercury follows a circular orbit or not.

Question

A planet's speed in orbit is given by V = (30 km/s)[(2/r)-(1/a)]0.5 where V is the planet's velocity, r is the distance in AU's from the Sun at that instant, and a is the semimajor axis of its orbit. Calculate the Earth's velocity in its orbit (assume it is circular): What is the velocity of Mars at a distance of 1.41 AU from the Sun? What is the spacecraft's velocity when it is 1 AU from the Sun (after launch from the Earth)? What additional velocity does the launch burn have to give to the spacecraft? (i.e. What is the difference between the Earth's velocity and the velocity the spacecraft needs to have?) How fast will the spacecraft be traveling when it reaches Mars? Does the spacecraft need to gain or lose velocity to go into the same orbit as Mars?

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Chapter 1, Problem 2LL

To determine

Whether mercury follows a circular orbit or not.

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