Kepler's third law, p2 = a3, means that
A)all orbits with the same semimajor axis have the same period.
B)a planet's period does not depend on the eccentricity of its orbit.
C)the period of a planet does not depend on its mass.
D)planets that are farther from the Sun move at slower average speeds than nearer planets.
E)All of the above are correct.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Kepler's third law states that the square of the orbital period (p^2) of a planet is directly proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis (a^3) of its orbit. This law implies that all orbits with the same semi-major axis, regardless of their eccentricity, will have the same period, indicating that the period does not depend on the orbit's shape (A and B). It also implies that the period of a planet's orbit does not depend on its mass (C), as the law does not include the mass of the planet in the equation. Finally, it means that planets farther from the Sun, having larger semi-major axes, will have longer periods and thus move at slower average speeds than planets closer to the Sun (D). Therefore, all of the statements A through D are correct interpretations of Kepler's third law.

Kepler's Third Law, P2 = A3, Means That