Kepler's Second Law Quick Check

Question

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Question
Which does Kepler’s second law state about planetary motion?(1 point)
Responses

Planets move at the same speed at all points along their orbit.
Planets move at the same speed at all points along their orbit.

A line between the planet and the sun covers equal areas in equal times.
A line between the planet and the sun covers equal areas in equal times.

The square of the orbital period is directly proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis.
The square of the orbital period is directly proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis.

The planet travels along an elliptical orbit.
The planet travels along an elliptical orbit.
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Answer 1

The correct response based on Kepler's Second Law is:

A line between the planet and the sun covers equal areas in equal times.

This law, also known as the law of areas, states that a planet's distance from the sun changes as it moves along its elliptical orbit, and hence it moves faster when it is closer to the sun and slower when it is further away, such that the area swept out in a given time period is constant.