Question

the diagram below shows the orbit of a comet around the sun.why does the comet travels more quickly when it is closer to the sun?a the frictional force on the comet increasesb the temperature of the comet rapidly increasesc the gravitational pull on the comet increasesd the mass of the comet decreases

Explanation:

Step1: Analyze Option A

Frictional force in space (where the comet - Sun system is) is negligible. So, this option is incorrect.

Step2: Analyze Option B

Temperature increase of the comet does not directly cause its speed increase. There is no direct physical relationship between temperature rise and speed increase in the context of orbital motion. So, this option is incorrect.

Step3: Analyze Option C

According to the law of universal gravitation \(F = G\frac{Mm}{r^{2}}\), where \(M\) is the mass of the Sun, \(m\) is the mass of the comet, \(r\) is the distance between them, and \(G\) is the gravitational constant. When the comet is closer to the Sun (\(r\) decreases), the gravitational pull \(F\) on the comet increases. From the work - energy theorem, the gravitational force does work on the comet, increasing its kinetic energy (\(K=\frac{1}{2}mv^{2}\)). So, the speed \(v\) of the comet increases. This option is correct.

Step4: Analyze Option D

The mass of the comet does not decrease in a way that would cause it to speed up. Mass is a relatively conserved quantity for a comet in its orbital motion around the Sun (no significant mass loss mechanism is indicated here that would lead to speed increase). So, this option is incorrect.

Answer:

C. The gravitational pull on the comet increases