---
title: "A comet of mass \\( m_c = 3.2 \\times 10^{14} \\) \\( \\text{kg} \\) is orbiting a star with mass \\( m_s = 1.8 \\times 10^{30} \\) \\( \\text{kg} \\). The comet’s orbit is elliptical. At its closest point, the comet is a distance \\( r_1 = 8.3 \\times 10^{10} \\) \\( \\text{m} \\) from the star, and at its farthest point, the comet is a distance \\( r_2 = 4.9 \\times 10^{11} \\) \\( \\text{m} \\) from the star. What is the change in the kinetic energy of the comet as it moves along its orbit from distance \\( r_2 \\) to distance \\( r_1 \\) from the star?"
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url: "https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/91368/"
date_modified: "2025-09-23T03:14:54+00:00"
---

# A comet of mass \( m_c = 3.2 \times 10^{14} \) \( \text{kg} \) is orbiting a star with mass \( m_s = 1.8 \times 10^{30} \) \( \text{kg} \). The comet’s orbit is elliptical. At its closest point, the comet is a distance \( r_1 = 8.3 \times 10^{10} \) \( \text{m} \) from the star, and at its farthest point, the comet is a distance \( r_2 = 4.9 \times 10^{11} \) \( \text{m} \) from the star. What is the change in the kinetic energy of the comet as it moves along its orbit from distance \( r_2 \) to distance \( r_1 \) from the star?

A comet of mass \( m_c = 3.2 \times 10^{14} \) \( \text{kg} \) is orbiting a star with mass \( m_s = 1.8 \times 10^{30} \) \( \text{kg} \). The comet’s orbit is elliptical. At its closest point, the comet is a distance \( r_1 = 8.3 \times 10^{10} \) \( \text{m} \) from the star, and at its farthest point, the comet is a distance \( r_2 = 4.9 \times 10^{11} \) \( \text{m} \) from the star. What is the change in the kinetic energy of the comet as it moves along its orbit from distance \( r_2 \) to distance \( r_1 \) from the star?

- **A.** \[ 5.4 \times 10^{12} \, \text{J} \]
- **B.** \[ 7.8 \times 10^{22} \, \text{J} \]
- **C.** \[ 3.8 \times 10^{23} \, \text{J} \]
- **D.** \[ 4.6 \times 10^{23} \, \text{J} \]

*The answer key and step-by-step explanation are available to logged-in users at https://nerd-notes.com/ubq/91368/*