Kepler's Laws

Front

What is Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion?

Back

Planets move in elliptical orbits with the Sun at one focus.

Front

What is the definition of an orbit?

Back

The path a celestial body takes as it revolves around another body due to gravitational forces.

Front

What is the significance of the perihelion in an orbit?

Back

The perihelion is the point in the orbit of a planet where it is closest to the Sun.

Front

What happens to a planet's speed as it approaches the Sun?

Back

A planet moves faster when it is closer to the Sun due to the stronger gravitational pull.

Front

What is Kepler's Second Law of Planetary Motion?

Back

A line segment joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time.

Front

What is the relationship between distance from the Sun and orbital period?

Back

The farther a planet is from the Sun, the longer it takes to complete one orbit.

Front

What is Kepler's Third Law of Planetary Motion?

Back

The square of the orbital period of a planet is directly proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of its orbit.

Front

What is the semi-major axis in an elliptical orbit?

Back

The longest radius of an ellipse, which is half the length of the longest diameter.

Front

How does the shape of an orbit affect a planet's speed?

Back

In an elliptical orbit, a planet moves faster when it is closer to the Sun and slower when it is farther away.

Front

What is the barycenter in a two-body system?

Back

The barycenter is the center of mass around which two bodies orbit, located between them.