Kepler's Second Law, also known as the Law of Areas, states that a line segment joining a planet to the Sun sweeps out equal areas in equal times. This means that a planet moves faster in its orbit when it is closer to the Sun and slower when it is farther away, ensuring that it covers equal areas in the same amount of time.
In simpler terms:
- As a planet travels along its elliptical orbit, the area swept over a short time interval (e.g., a day, month) is constant.
- This law illustrates that the speed of a planet varies depending on its distance from the Sun.
If you have any specific questions or need further clarification about Kepler's Second Law, feel free to ask!
1 answer