GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

GK

THE UNIVERSE

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
Based on Kepler’s Second Law of Planetary Motion we know that planets travel ____ when they are closer to their sun, and ____ when they are farther away.
A
slower, faster
B
slower, backwards
C
faster, slower
D
retrograde, faster
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -The point of nearest approach of the planet to the Sun is termed perihelion. The point of greatest separation is aphelion, hence by Kepler’s Second Law, a planet is moving fastest when it is at perihelion and slowest at aphelion.

Detailed explanation-2: -Therefore the planet moves faster when it is nearer the Sun and slower when it is farther from the Sun. A planet moves with constantly changing speed as it moves about its orbit. The fastest a planet moves is at perihelion (closest) and the slowest is at aphelion (farthest).

Detailed explanation-3: -Kepler’s Second Law Describes the Way an Object’s Speed Varies along Its Orbit. A planet’s orbital speed changes, depending on how far it is from the Sun. The closer a planet is to the Sun, the stronger the Sun’s gravitational pull on it, and the faster the planet moves.

Detailed explanation-4: -When a planet is closer to the Sun the Sun’s gravitational pull is stronger, so the planet moves faster. When a planet is further away from the sun the Sun’s gravitational pull is weaker, so the planet moves slower in its orbit.

There is 1 question to complete.