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What happens to the orbital speed as a planet approaches apoapsis?
- A Increases
- B Decreases
- C Remains constant
- D Varies unpredictably
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As a planet moves towards its apoapsis, the point furthest from the central body, its orbital speed decreases. This slowdown occurs due to the decreased gravitational pull at greater distances, which reduces the object's kinetic energy as it climbs further from the gravity well of the central body, reaching a slower speed at the apoapsis before accelerating back as it returns.
