Suppose that an object is discovered moving around the Sun once every 120 years.Which of the following paths is a possible orbit for this object?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An object that orbits around the Sun once every 120 years must have a closed trajectory since it comes back to the same position in space after 120 years. A straight line or a parabolic orbit would not result in a closed trajectory. A hyperbolic orbit would imply that the object is moving away from the Sun forever, which cannot be the case if it orbits around the Sun periodically. Only an elliptical orbit would satisfy the condition of a periodic, closed trajectory around the Sun.

Suppose That an Object Is Discovered Moving Around the Sun