According to Kepler's 2nd Law, comets (which have eccentric orbits) should spend a lot more of their time:
A) close to the planets
B) close to the Sun
C) losing angular momentum
D) far from the Sun
E) increasing the rate at which they spin

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Kepler's 2nd Law, comets (which have eccentric orbits) should spend more time at their furthest distance from the Sun (apoapsis) than their closest distance (perihelion). This is because the law states that an imaginary line connecting a planet or comet to the Sun sweeps out equal areas in equal times, meaning the comet moves faster when it is closer to the Sun and slower when it is further away, resulting in more time spent at larger distances from the Sun.

According to Kepler's 2nd Law, Comets (Which Have Eccentric Orbits)