26.1 MC Orbits and Kepler’s Laws

According to Kepler's First Law, what shape are planetary orbits?

• Perfect circles

• Ellipses with the Sun at one focus

• Parabolas

• Irregular shapes

Which of Kepler's laws states that a line connecting a planet to the Sun sweeps out equal areas in equal time intervals?

• First Law

• Second Law

• Third Law

• Fourth Law

What happens to a planet's orbital velocity when it is closest to the Sun (perihelion)?

• It remains constant

• It decreases

• It increases

• It becomes zero

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-4

Which statement best describes the location of the Sun in a planetary orbit according to Kepler's First Law?

• At the center of the ellipse

• At one focus of the ellipse

• At both foci of the ellipse

• At the perihelion point

What causes the elliptical shape of planetary orbits?

• The Sun's magnetic field

• The combined effects of gravity and inertia

• Solar wind pressure

• Atmospheric drag

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-4

NGSS.HS-PS2-4

How does the area swept out by a planet in one week at perihelion compare to the area swept out in one week at aphelion?

• The areas are different

• The areas are equal

• The perihelion area is twice as large

• The aphelion area is twice as large

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-4

Which of Kepler's laws helped Newton develop his law of universal gravitation?

• Only the First Law

• Only the Second Law

• Only the Third Law

• All three laws

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS2-4

What is the significance of Kepler's Third Law in understanding planetary motion?

• It relates the orbital period to the semi-major axis of the orbit

• It describes the shape of planetary orbits

• It explains the speed of planets at different points in their orbit

• It states that planets move in perfect circles

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-4

Which of the following best describes the relationship between a planet's orbital period and its distance from the Sun?

• The orbital period is the same for all planets

• The orbital period is longer for planets closer to the Sun

• The orbital period is longer for planets farther from the Sun

• The orbital period is shorter for planets farther from the Sun

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-4