Kepler's 2nd law tells us that when a planet moves closer to the sun, it __, & when it moves away from the sun, it __.
A). Moves at the same speed, slows down
B). Slows down, speeds up
C). Moves at the same speed, moves at the same speed
D). Speeds up, slows down
B). Slows down, speeds up
B). Slows down, speeds up
To determine the correct answer to this question, let's first discuss Kepler's Second Law of Planetary Motion. Kepler's Second Law, also known as the Law of Equal Areas, states that as a planet travels around its elliptical orbit, it sweeps out equal areas in equal amounts of time.
This means that when a planet moves closer to the sun, it covers more area in a given time, indicating that it is moving faster. Conversely, when it moves away from the sun, it covers less area in the same amount of time, suggesting that it is moving slower.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is:
B). Slows down, speeds up