Orbital velocity and tangential velocity are two different concepts related to the motion of objects in space.
Tangential velocity refers to the velocity of an object along its tangent or the direction in which it is moving at a particular instant. It represents the speed and direction of an object as it moves along a curved path, such as a circular orbit. Tangential velocity is always perpendicular to the radial direction, which points towards the center of the circular path. In other words, it is the component of velocity that is parallel to the circumference of the circle at a given point.
Orbital velocity, on the other hand, specifically refers to the velocity required for an object to maintain a stable orbit around another object, such as a planet, moon, or satellite. It is the minimum velocity needed to balance the gravitational attraction between the two objects and prevent the orbiting object from falling into the central object or escaping into space.
The key distinction is that tangential velocity relates to the instantaneous velocity of an object at a specific point along its orbit, while orbital velocity represents the average velocity necessary to maintain a stable orbit. Orbital velocity is influenced by the mass and radius of the central object, while tangential velocity depends on the shape and size of the orbit.
In summary, tangential velocity describes the speed and direction of an object at a given instant along its curved path, while orbital velocity is the average velocity required to sustain a stable orbit around a central object.