Cadet Competition Written Practice Exam

What term refers to the path a satellite follows around a celestial body?

1. Trajectory

2. Orbit

3. Pathway

4. Revolution

The correct answer is: Orbit

The term that specifically refers to the path a satellite follows around a celestial body is "orbit." An orbit is a gravitationally curved trajectory that an object takes around a planet, star, moon, or other celestial bodies. This motion occurs due to the balance between the satellite's inertia, which wants to move it in a straight line, and the gravitational pull from the celestial body, which pulls the satellite inward. In contrast, "trajectory" is a more general term that can refer to the path of any projectile in motion, not limited to those influenced by gravity around celestial bodies. "Pathway" is also a broader term and doesn’t convey the specific gravitational influence involved in orbital motion. "Revolution" refers to the movement of an object around another object but often pertains to a full cycle, such as one complete orbit of a planet around the sun. Thus, while all the terms relate in some way to motion, "orbit" is the most accurate and precise term for a satellite's path around another celestial body.