Question
Scientists have studied the orbits of different planets. Venus has a very circular orbit, while Mars has a more oval-shaped (elliptical) orbit. According to Kepler's laws, how does the orbital speed of these planets change as they travel around the Sun?
Hint 1: Remember Kepler’s laws—planets move faster when they are closer to the Sun and slower when they are farther away.
Hint 2: Since Venus’s orbit is almost a circle, it stays about the same distance from the Sun, so its speed doesn’t change much. Mars’s orbit is more oval, so its distance from the Sun changes more, which means its speed changes more, too.
(1 point)
Responses
Venus changes speed a lot, while Mars travels at a constant speed
Venus changes speed a lot, while Mars travels at a constant speed
Mars changes speed more than Venus as it travels around the Sun
Mars changes speed more than Venus as it travels around the Sun
Both planets always travel at exactly the same speed throughout their orbits
Both planets always travel at exactly the same speed throughout their orbits
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Answers
GPT-4o mini
The correct response is:
**Mars changes speed more than Venus as it travels around the Sun.**
This is because Mars has an elliptical orbit, leading to significant variations in its distance from the Sun and thus changes in its orbital speed, as described by Kepler's laws. In contrast, Venus, with its nearly circular orbit, maintains a relatively constant distance from the Sun, resulting in minimal changes in its speed.
**Mars changes speed more than Venus as it travels around the Sun.**
This is because Mars has an elliptical orbit, leading to significant variations in its distance from the Sun and thus changes in its orbital speed, as described by Kepler's laws. In contrast, Venus, with its nearly circular orbit, maintains a relatively constant distance from the Sun, resulting in minimal changes in its speed.