keplers 2nd laws shows that a line between a planet and the sun sweeps out two equal areas at different places as it makes its orbit

Question

which factor remains constant as this motion happens
a the time required to sweep out the areas
b the distance the planet moves along its orbit while it sweeps out the area
c the planets speed as it sweeps the areas

Answer 1

Kepler's Second Law, also known as the Law of Areas, states that a line drawn from a planet to the Sun sweeps out equal areas in equal times during the planet's orbit. This means that:

• The time required to sweep out the areas is constant.

So, the answer is:

a. the time required to sweep out the areas

As the planet moves in its elliptical orbit, it speeds up as it gets closer to the Sun (perihelion) and slows down as it moves farther away (aphelion), which means the planet's speed is not constant, and the distance moved is not constant either.