Catherine is preparing a realistic model of the Solar System. To show the orbital path of the planets, she gathers rings of different shapes. What shape should she use for the earth's orbit?
A) Ellipse
B) Hexagon
C) Circle
D) Hyberbola
To find the shape Catherine should use for the Earth's orbit, we need to understand the nature of planetary orbits. The Earth's orbit around the Sun is known as an ellipse.
An ellipse is a closed curved shape that resembles an elongated circle. In a solar system model, using an ellipse to represent the Earth's orbit would be the most accurate choice.
To determine the shape of the Earth's orbit, scientists have observed the motion of the Earth over an extended period of time. They found that the Earth's path around the Sun is not a perfect circle but rather a slightly elongated ellipse. This means that the distance between the Earth and the Sun is not constant throughout its orbit.
Therefore, the correct answer is A) Ellipse.
The shape that Catherine should use for the Earth's orbit is A) Ellipse.
all the planets have elliptical orbits
... with varying amounts of eccentricity (elliptical-ness)
the eccentricity of the Earth's orbit is very low
... the orbit is very close to circular