What shape is the moon's orbit around Earth?
a spiral
an ellipse that is elongated
a circle
an ellipse that is almost circular
The shape of the moon's orbit around Earth is an ellipse that is almost circular.
For which project would knowledge of Kepler's laws prove most useful?
calculating the mass of Earth
measuring the distance between Earth and the moon
determining the structure of the solar system's planets
putting a communications satellite in Earth orbit
Determining the structure of the solar system's planets would most likely make use of knowledge of Kepler's laws.
A line between a planet and the sun sweeps out two equal areas at different places as it moves along its orbit. Which factor remains constant as this happens?
the distance the planet moves along its orbit while it sweeps out the area
the distance from the sun to the planet while it sweeps out the areas
the planet’s speed as it sweeps out the areas
the time required to sweep out the areas
The planet's speed as it sweeps out the areas remains constant.
Which did Kepler notice about planetary motion that caused him to propose Kepler’s first law of orbital motion?
The planets have circular orbits.
The distance between Mars and the sun is constant.
The distance to the sun varies.
Most planets have highly elliptical orbits.
Kepler noticed that most planets have highly elliptical orbits, which led him to propose Kepler's first law of orbital motion.
Which is a feature of Copernicus's model of the solar system?
The planets move in perfect circles.
All planets orbit the Sun at the same speed.
The outer planets move in epicycles.
Earth is fixed to a crystalline sphere.
A feature of Copernicus's model of the solar system is that the planets move in perfect circles.
. Kepler's second law of planetary motion leads to the fact that when a planet is closest to the sun it moves faster in its orbit than when it is farther away.
True
False