Kepler's Laws

Front

What is the term for the point in a planet's orbit where it is closest to the Sun?

Back

Perihelion

Front

What is the term for the point in a planet's orbit where it is farthest from the Sun?

Back

Aphelion

Front

What does Kepler's First Law state?

Back

Planets move in elliptical orbits with the Sun at one focus.

Front

What does Kepler's Second Law describe?

Back

A line segment joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time.

Front

What is Kepler's Third Law?

Back

The square of the orbital period of a planet is directly proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of its orbit.

Front

What is the path a planet takes around the Sun called?

Back

Orbit

Front

What is the difference between rotation and revolution?

Back

Rotation is the spinning of a planet on its axis, while revolution is the movement of a planet around the Sun.

Front

What is an ellipse in the context of planetary orbits?

Back

An ellipse is a stretched circle, which describes the shape of a planet's orbit.

Front

What is the significance of the barycenter in a two-body system?

Back

The barycenter is the center of mass around which two bodies orbit each other.

Front

How does the speed of a planet change as it orbits the Sun?

Back

A planet moves faster when it is closer to the Sun and slower when it is farther away.