---
title: "Two satellites, \\(A\\) and \\(B\\), move in circular orbits around a planet of mass \\(M\\) and radius \\(R\\). Satellite \\(A\\) orbits at an altitude of \\(R\\) above the planet’s surface, and satellite \\(B\\) orbits at an altitude of \\(3R\\) above the planet’s surface. What is the ratio of the orbital speed of satellite \\(A\\) to the orbital speed of satellite \\(B\\), \\(\\dfrac{v_A}{v_B}\\)?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/114635/"
date_modified: "2026-07-03T04:46:38+00:00"
---

# Two satellites, \(A\) and \(B\), move in circular orbits around a planet of mass \(M\) and radius \(R\). Satellite \(A\) orbits at an altitude of \(R\) above the planet’s surface, and satellite \(B\) orbits at an altitude of \(3R\) above the planet’s surface. What is the ratio of the orbital speed of satellite \(A\) to the orbital speed of satellite \(B\), \(\dfrac{v_A}{v_B}\)?

Two satellites, \(A\) and \(B\), move in circular orbits around a planet of mass \(M\) and radius \(R\). Satellite \(A\) orbits at an altitude of \(R\) above the planet's surface, and satellite \(B\) orbits at an altitude of \(3R\) above the planet's surface. What is the ratio of the orbital speed of satellite \(A\) to the orbital speed of satellite \(B\), \(\dfrac{v_A}{v_B}\)?

![A cross-section of a planet of radius R. Two dashed circular orbital paths are shown around the planet. Satellite A is on the inner dashed circle; a bracket labels the distance from the planet's surface to this path as R. Satellite B is on the outer dashed circle; a bracket labels the distance from the planet's surface to this path as 3R. The center of the planet is marked with a dot.](https://nerd-notes.com/wp-content/uploads/ubq-frq-generated/stem-diag-1-1783053998-kgtojz.jpg)

- **A.** \(\dfrac{1}{\sqrt{2}}\)
- **B.** \(\sqrt{2}\)
- **C.** \(\sqrt{3}\)
- **D.** \(2\)

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/114635/*