What term refers to the path followed by an object moving in space?

The appropriate term for the path followed by an object moving in space is "trajectory." A trajectory describes the specific trajectory, or path, an object takes as it moves through space, due to the influence of various forces acting upon it, such as gravity, momentum, and other accelerative forces.

While "orbit" pertains specifically to a type of trajectory in which a celestial body moves around another object due to gravitational forces, it does not encompass all possible paths that an object may take through space. The other options, "pathway" and "route," are more general terms that do not specifically apply to the context of physics or the study of motion in space. Understanding these distinctions helps clarify the terminology used in physics regarding motion and trajectory analysis.