Which is a correct statement about Aristotle and Ptolemy models of the solar system

Aristotle's model involved epicycles moving within crystalline spheres
Aristotle's model put the Sun at the center
Ptolemy model was never useful because it was incorrect
Ptolemy model involved epicycles moving along perfect circles

1 answer

The correct statement about Aristotle and Ptolemy's models of the solar system is:

Ptolemy's model involved epicycles moving along perfect circles.

To provide further clarity:

  • Aristotle's model was geocentric, placing the Earth at the center of the universe, and did not involve epicycles as a primary feature.
  • While the Ptolemaic model was geocentric and included epicycles to explain the apparent retrograde motion of planets, it indeed utilized perfect circles.
  • The statement that the Ptolemy model was never useful is inaccurate; despite its incorrectness, it was widely accepted for many centuries and used effectively to predict planetary positions.

Thus, the best statement is concerning the use of epicycles in Ptolemy’s model.