In 3–5 sentences, explain how the shape of planetary orbits affects their orbital velocity. Include the proper law of planetary motion as part of your answer.(4 points)
1 answer
The shape of planetary orbits affects their orbital velocity because of Kepler's Second Law of Planetary Motion, also known as the law of equal areas. This law states that a line connecting a planet to the sun will sweep out equal areas in equal time intervals. In elliptical orbits, planets move faster when they are closer to the sun (periapsis) and slower when they are farther away (apoapsis). This means that the average orbital velocity of a planet is higher when it is closer to the sun and lower when it is farther away.