10 Questions
According to Kepler's first law, which shape describes the orbit of a planet?
Ellipse
Why are the foci of an ellipse important in planetary orbits?
They help determine the eccentricity of the orbit
What type of axis does an ellipse have?
Long and short axes
In terms of shape, what distinguishes elliptical orbits from circular orbits?
Eccentricity
Which astronomer developed three laws to describe planetary motion?
Johannes Kepler
How does the sun's position differ in an elliptical orbit compared to a circular orbit?
The sun is at one focus in an elliptical orbit
What term describes the oval shape of most modern-day planetary orbits?
Ellipse
Which factor determines how elongated or circular an orbit appears?
"Eccentricity"
"Oort cloud" is related to which concept described in the text?
"Orbital eccentricity"
The long axis of an ellipse corresponds to which astronomical element?
The major axis
This quiz covers Kepler's third law of planetary motion, which states that the square of a planet's orbital period is proportional to the cube of its average distance from the sun. Learn how to apply this law to calculate the orbital period or distance of a planet in the solar system.
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