Kepler's Laws and Solar System Concepts

Front

What is Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion?

Back

Planets move in elliptical orbits with the Sun at one focus.

Front

What is Kepler's Second Law of Planetary Motion?

Back

A line segment joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time.

Front

What is Kepler's Third Law of Planetary Motion?

Back

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 aphelion?

Back

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

Front

What is perihelion?

Back

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

Front

How does distance from the Sun affect a planet's orbital speed?

Back

Planets closer to the Sun move faster in their orbits than those farther away.

Front

What is the significance of Kepler's Laws in astronomy?

Back

They describe the motion of planets and help predict their positions.

Front

What is an elliptical orbit?

Back

An elongated circular path that a planet follows around the Sun.

Front

What does the term 'orbital period' mean?

Back

The time it takes for a planet to complete one full orbit around the Sun.

Front

What is the relationship between a planet's distance from the Sun and its orbital period according to Kepler's Third Law?

Back

The farther a planet is from the Sun, the longer its orbital period.