According to one of Kepler's laws, a planet is moving fastest in its orbit when it is at
focus.
you can't fool me; planets move at constant speeds.
perihelion.
apheilion.
The fact that Earth's seasons are not of equal length (summer is a few days longer than winter), and our knowledge of Kepler's second law, allows us to predict that
the Earth is farther from the Sun in winter.
the Earth is farther from the Sun in summer.
the Earth is moving fastest in its orbit during summer.
none of these statements follow from the facts given.
The Moon makes one complete circuit around the Earth in about a month. What kind of motion is being described by the Moon?
rotation
revolution
retrograde
transgressional
Sunspots seem to move across the face of the Sun in a matter of days. What kind of spinning motion is the Sun undergoing?
rotation
revolution
retrograde
transgressional
A planet at perihelion is
as close to the Earth as it ever gets.
as far from the Earth as it ever gets.
as close to the Sun as it ever gets.
as far from the Sun as it ever gets.
According to Kepler's second law, in equal times the orbit of each planet sweeps out equal areas. Combined with Kepler's first law, this results in planets that
move in retrograde paths around one focus of the Sun.
move fastest when they are closest to the Sun.
rotate in a certain, specific rate of speed.
none of these is a result of Kepler's laws.
When a superior planet is exactly 180 degrees from the Sun in the sky, astronomers say it is at
opposition
conjunction
quadrature
minimum elongation
The time it takes a planet to complete one orbit around the Sun is called its
maximum elongation.
hyperbolic period.
period of rotation.
period of revolution.
Kepler found that the orbits of the planets were not perfect circles, but rather ____.
hyperbolas
parabolas
perihelia
ellipses
Which orbit has the greatest eccentricity?
Moe
Larry
Curley
Which orbit has the largest aphelion?
Moe
Larry
Curley
Which orbit has an aphelion and perihelion that are equal?
Moe
Larry
Curley
Which orbit has an eccentricity nearest zero (0)?
Moe
Larry
Curley
Kepler's _____ law says that the planets orbit the Sun in ellipses, with the Sun at one focus.
First
Second
Third
Universal Law of Gravity
Kepler's _____ law says that the line joining the Sun and a planet sweeps equal areas in equal times.
First
Second
Third
Universal Law of Gravity
Kepler's _____ law says that the square of the period of revolution is proportional to the cube of the planet's average distance from the Sun.
First
Second
Third
Universal Law of Gravity
This Greek philosopher (around 350 B.C.) thought that the Earth was at the center of the universe.
Aristotle
Copernicus
Eratosthenes
Galileo
Kepler
Newton
Ptolemy
Tycho
Foucault
This 16th century Polish astronomer became famous for his theory that the Sun was at the center of the universe and that the Earth moved.
Aristotle
Copernicus
Eratosthenes
Galileo
Kepler
Newton
Ptolemy
Tycho
Foucault
This man calculated the correct size of the Earth in about 250 B.C.
Aristotle
Copernicus
Eratosthenes
Galileo
Kepler
Newton
Ptolemy
Tycho
Foucault
This 19th century French physicist used a pendulum to prove that the Earth moves.
Aristotle
Copernicus
Eratosthenes
Galileo
Kepler
Newton
Ptolemy
Tycho
Foucault
In the early 17th century, this man helped to prove the heliocentric theory by using a telescope to discover four large moons around Jupiter and the phases of Venus.
Aristotle
Copernicus
Eratosthenes
Galileo
Kepler
Newton
Ptolemy
Tycho
Foucault
This mathematician used Tycho's observations of the planets to develop his own "Laws of Planetary Motion" in the early 17th century.
Aristotle
Copernicus
Eratosthenes
Galileo
Kepler
Newton
Ptolemy
Tycho
Foucault
In the 17th century this great scientist discovered the "Laws" that describe gravity. He was born the same year the Galileo died.
Aristotle
Copernicus
Eratosthenes
Galileo
Kepler
Newton
Ptolemy
Tycho
Foucault
This 2nd century astronomer used an Earth-centered model with circles-on-circles (epicycles) to explain the motion of the planets.
Aristotle
Copernicus
Eratosthenes
Galileo
Kepler
Newton
Ptolemy
Tycho
Foucault
This 16th century Danish observer of the planets lost part of his nose in a sword fight.
Aristotle
Copernicus
Eratosthenes
Galileo
Kepler
Newton
Ptolemy
Tycho
Foucault
Newton's first law is also known as the law of _____.
Inertia
Universal Law of Gravity
Law of sines
Action-Reaction Law
Newton's _____ law can be written: F = ma.
First
Second
Third
Universal Gravity
Newton's _____ law says that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
First
Second
Third
Universal Gravity
Newton's _____ law says that things continue moving in a straight line at a constant speed unless acted on by an outside force.