A spacecraft circles Jupiter in a stable orbit. Mission controllers transfer it to a second stable circular orbit that is closer to Jupiter. Which statement describes the spacecraft's speed in the second orbit?
The speed is greater than before, because a smaller stable orbit requires a faster satellite.
The speed is the same as before, because gravity changes the direction of motion.
The speed is lower than before, because each complete orbit covers a shorter distance.
The speed continually changes, because the spacecraft's velocity changes around the orbit.
84 exam-style questions on AQA GCSE Physics 8.1 Solar system; stability of orbital motions; satellites, covering 8.1.1 Our solar system, 8.1.2 The life cycle of a star, and 8.1.3 Orbital motion, natural and artificial satellites. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.