11. Based on Kepler's observations about planetary motion, what is the relationship between a planet's orbital velocity and its distance from the sun?
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1 point
The greater the distance, the slower the orbital velocity.
Distance has no effect on orbital velocity.
The greater the distance, the greater the orbital velocity.
As distance is cut in half, orbital velocity decreases.
The correct answer is: The greater the distance, the slower the orbital velocity.
According to Kepler's observations about planetary motion, the relationship between a planet's orbital velocity and its distance from the sun is that the greater the distance, the slower the orbital velocity.
To answer this question, we can refer to Kepler's laws of planetary motion. Kepler's observations led him to formulate three important laws:
1. Kepler's First Law, also known as the Law of Ellipses: Planetary orbits around the sun are shaped like ellipses, with the sun located at one of the foci of the ellipse.
2. Kepler's Second Law, also known as the Law of Equal Areas: A line connecting a planet to the sun sweeps out equal areas in equal time intervals. This means that a planet moves faster when it is closer to the sun (perihelion) and slower when it is farther away (aphelion).
3. Kepler's Third Law, also known as the Harmonic Law: The square of a planet's orbital period (the time it takes to complete one orbit around the sun) is proportional to the cube of its average distance from the sun.
So, based on Kepler's observations and laws, the correct answer to the question would be:
The greater the distance, the slower the orbital velocity.
As a planet moves farther away from the sun, its orbital velocity decreases.