In 3–5 sentences, explain how the shape of planetary orbits affects their orbital velocity. Include the proper law of planetary motion as part of your answer.(4 points)
The shape of a planetary orbit affects its orbital velocity due to Kepler's second law of planetary motion, also known as the law of equal areas. According to this law, a planet sweeps out equal areas in equal times when it orbits around the sun. In elliptical orbits, planets move at varying speeds depending on their distance from the sun. When a planet is closer to the sun, it experiences a stronger gravitational force and thus moves faster, while when it is farther away, it moves slower due to a weaker gravitational force. This means that planets have higher orbital velocities when they are closer to the sun and lower orbital velocities when they are farther away.
The shape of planetary orbits plays a significant role in determining their orbital velocity. According to Kepler's second law of planetary motion, also known as the law of equal areas, a planet sweeps out equal areas in equal time intervals while in orbit around the sun. This means that when a planet is closer to the sun (at perihelion), it moves faster, and when it is farther away (at aphelion), it moves slower. Therefore, the more elliptical a planet's orbit is, the more its orbital velocity will vary throughout its orbit.
The shape of planetary orbits, which are typically elliptical, affects the orbital velocity of the planets. According to Kepler's second law of planetary motion, as a planet moves closer to the star it orbits (perihelion), its speed increases, while as it moves farther away (aphelion), its speed decreases. This is because the gravitational force between the planet and its star remains constant, but the distance between them changes, resulting in variations in the orbital velocity. In essence, planets travel faster when closer to the star and slower when further away.
