Question

How does the kinetic and potential energy of an object change as it orbits the Sun? What about the object’s total energy? // Please write out. Avoid explanation in formula or equation.

Answer 1

As per the work energy theorem, the initial total mechanical energy of the system plus work done by any external force is equal to the final total mechanical energy.

Here gravitation is the only external force to the system and which is conservative in nature. So work done will be zero.

So the sum of potential and kinetic energy will remain constant. While energy gets transformed between kinetic and potential.

The tangential velocity varies inversely with sq root of radius of its orbit. So kE decrease with increase in radius of orbit but potential energy increases with height. So potential energy will increase. So like this both balance each other.