Quiz on Ellipses and Planetary Motion

What shape is the orbit of a planet according to Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion?

• Circle

• Ellipse

• Square

• Triangle

What is the term for the two points that determine the shape of an ellipse?

• Vertices

• Foci

• Centers

• Axes

What does a higher eccentricity indicate about the shape of an ellipse?

• More circular

• More elongated

• More triangular

• More square-like

What happens to the speed of Mars as it approaches the perihelion in its orbit?

• It speeds up.

• It slows down.

• It remains constant.

• It stops.

According to Kepler's Second Law, what happens to a planet's speed as it moves away from the sun?

• It speeds up.

• It slows down.

• It remains constant.

• It reverses direction.

What is the term for the point in a planet's orbit farthest from the sun?

• Perihelion

• Aphelion

• Equinox

• Solstice

What is an astronomical unit (AU)?

• The distance from Earth to the moon.

• The average distance between Earth and the sun.

• The distance from the sun to Mars.

• The distance light travels in a year.

According to Kepler's Third Law, what is the relationship between a planet's orbital period and its distance from the sun?

• The orbital period is equal to the distance.

• The orbital period squared is equal to the distance cubed.

• The orbital period is half the distance.

• The orbital period is double the distance.

What is the shape of the pathway that planets orbit in?

• Eccentric

• Ellipse

• Circular

What is the measurement of how elongated a closed circle is?

• Eccentricity

• Elliptical

• Perihelion