Kepler's Laws Vocabulary

A way of measuring distances in space. Equivalent to the distance from Earth to the Sun.

• Elipse

• Eccentricity

• Astronomical Unit

• Period

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

A measure of how round an orbit is.

• Period

• Eccentricity

• Astronomical Unit

• Vector

An oval shape.

• Vector

• Period

• Velocity

• Ellipse

Planets orbit the sun in a shape called an ellipse.

• Kepler's 1st Law

• Kepler's 2nd Law

• Kepler's 3rd Law

Planets travel faster when they are closer to the sun.

• Kepler's 1st Law

• Kepler's 2nd Law

• Kepler's 3rd Law

Planets closer to the sun have smaller orbital periods.

• Kepler's 1st Law

• Kepler's 2nd Law

• Kepler's 3rd Law

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-4

The distance between an object (such as a planet) and the object it is orbiting (i.e. the sun).

• Astronomical Unit

• Vector

• Orbital Period

• Orbital Radius

The time it takes one object in space to fully orbit another.

• Astronomical Unit

• Vector

• Orbital Period

• Orbital Radius

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

NGSS.MS-PS2-4

The speed of something in a given direction.

• Velocity

• Period

• Eccentricity

• Gravity

The curved path of one object around another.

• Velocity

• Vector

• Orbit

• Period

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2