---
title: "The elliptical orbit of a comet is shown above. Positions \\(1\\) and \\(2\\) are, respectively, the farthest and nearest positions to the Sun, and at position \\(1\\) the distance from the comet to the Sun is \\(10\\) times that at position \\(2\\). What is the ratio \\(\\tfrac{F_1}{F_2}\\), the force on the comet at position \\(1\\) to the force on the comet at position \\(2\\)?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/39139/"
date_modified: "2025-09-23T07:03:54+00:00"
---

# The elliptical orbit of a comet is shown above. Positions \(1\) and \(2\) are, respectively, the farthest and nearest positions to the Sun, and at position \(1\) the distance from the comet to the Sun is \(10\) times that at position \(2\). What is the ratio \(\tfrac{F_1}{F_2}\), the force on the comet at position \(1\) to the force on the comet at position \(2\)?

The elliptical orbit of a comet is shown above. Positions \(1\) and \(2\) are, respectively, the farthest and nearest positions to the Sun, and at position \(1\) the distance from the comet to the Sun is \(10\) times that at position \(2\). What is the ratio \(\dfrac{F_1}{F_2}\), the force on the comet at position \(1\) to the force on the comet at position \(2\)?

![Diagram](https://nerd-notes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Screenshot-2024-06-05-at-8.38.14-PM-300x146.png)

- **A.** \(1/100\)
- **B.** \(1/10\)
- **C.** \(1\)
- **D.** \(10\)
- **E.** \(100\)

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/39139/*