Unit 6: Kepler and Satellite Motion

Planets orbit the Sun in a shape called a(n)

• circle
• ellipse
• focus
• perihelion

An ellipse is drawn around two points called

• aphelion
• perihelion
• foci
• axis

When a planet orbits the Sun, one of the foci of the elliptical orbit is 

• the axis
• the perihelion
• the center
• the Sun

Where is the planet moving faster

• Position A to B
• Position B to C
• Position H to I
• Position I to J

What is true about the area between points A, B and the Sun, and the area between points H, I and the Sun?

• The area between A, B and the Sun is the largest.
• The area between H, I and the Sun is the largest
• Both areas are equal in size
• There is not enough information to determine the areas

Kepler's 2nd Law deals with 

• the shape of the planets' orbits
• the speed/area the planet travels 
• the length of time it takes the planet to orbit the sun

A planet moves __________ when it is farthest from the sun.

• faster
• slower

Kepler's first law states that the orbits of the planets are oval in shape or 

• ellipses
• perfect circles

The farther away a planet is from the sun, the _______ it takes it to orbit the sun once. 

• longer
• shorter

The path a planet travels around the sun is called its 

• orbit
• ellipse
• barycenter
• precession