Chapter 8, Problem 64PQ

FIGURE 8.38 Comparison of a circular and an elliptical orbit. The semimajor axis of the ellipse is the radius of the circular orbit. At points I and J on the ellipse, the particle’s speed is the same as it would be on the circle. At perihelion P, the particle’s speed is too high to maintain a circular orbit, and at aphelion A, it is too low.

G Case Study Comet Hale-Bopp’s elliptical orbit is described in Problem 63. Draw an energy graph for the Sun–comet system. For points A, P, I, and J (Fig. 8.38, page 236), superimpose a bar chart on the energy graph.