Kepler's Laws

Front

What are Kepler's Laws?

Back

Kepler's Laws describe the motion of planets around the Sun, consisting of three laws: 1) The Law of Orbits: Planets move in elliptical orbits with the Sun at one focus. 2) The Law of Areas: A line segment joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time. 3) The Law of Periods: 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 shape of a planet's orbit according to Kepler's First Law?

Back

An ellipse.

Front

What does Kepler's Second Law state about a planet's speed?

Back

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

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 is the relationship between a planet's distance from the Sun and its orbital period?

Back

The farther a planet is from the Sun, the longer it takes to complete one orbit.

Front

What unit is commonly used to measure a planet's orbital period?

Back

Year.

Front

What are the two points called that define the foci of an ellipse?

Back

Foci.

Front

How does the mass of a planet affect its orbit according to Kepler's Laws?

Back

Kepler's Laws do not directly relate to the mass of the planets; they describe the motion based on distance from the Sun.

Front

What is the significance of Kepler's Third Law in astronomy?

Back

It allows astronomers to calculate the distance of planets from the Sun based on their orbital periods.