4-4 Kepler's Laws of Motion

Front

What does Kepler's first law state about the shape of planetary orbits?

Back

The orbits of the planets are elliptical in shape.

Front

What is the significance of the areas swept by a planet in its orbit according to Kepler's second law?

Back

The areas swept out by a planet in equal time intervals are equal.

Front

Who formulated the Universal Law of Gravitation?

Back

Isaac Newton.

Front

What is eccentricity in the context of orbits?

Back

Eccentricity is a measurement of how elliptical an orbit is.

Front

What shape do planets orbit the Sun in?

Back

Planets orbit the Sun in an elliptical shape.

Front

What is Kepler's third law of motion?

Back

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

Front

Define perihelion.

Back

Perihelion is the point in the orbit of a planet where it is closest to the Sun.

Front

Define aphelion.

Back

Aphelion is the point in the orbit of a planet where it is farthest from the Sun.

Front

What is the focus in an elliptical orbit?

Back

The focus is one of the two points in an ellipse from which the distance to any point on the ellipse is measured.

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.