Physics Cup 2021 Problem 2

Physics

Problem

By Thomas Foster (University of Oxford). At two different points in its orbit, a comet has velocities \vec v_1 and \vec v_2. If: (i) \vec v_1 and \vec v_2 are orthogonal and (ii) |\vec v_1|=2|\vec v_2|,what is the smallest possible eccentricity of the orbit?

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