Ellipses and Planetary Motion Concepts

Front

What shape do planets orbit the Sun in?

Back

Ellipse

Front

When do planets move the fastest in their orbit?

Back

Close to the sun

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

Front

What results in the most eccentric elliptical orbit?

Back

When the focal points are farthest apart.

Front

What is the eccentricity of the flattest ellipse before it becomes a line?

Back

.99

Front

What shape has an eccentricity of zero?

Back

A circle

Front

Define eccentricity in the context of ellipses.

Back

Eccentricity is a measure of how much an ellipse deviates from being circular.

Front

What is the eccentricity of a perfect circle?

Back

0

Front

What happens to a planet's speed as it moves away from the Sun?

Back

It slows down.

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-1

Front

What is the focus of an ellipse?

Back

A point where the sum of the distances to any point on the ellipse is constant.

Front

What is perihelion?

Back

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

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS2-4