In Ptolemy's description of the solar system, the deferent is a(n)
A) elliptical path along which a planet moves around the Sun.
B) circular path (around the Sun) along which the center of a planet's epicycle moves.
C) circular path (around Earth) along which the center of a planet's epicycle moves.
D) circular path along which a planet moves while the center of the path moves in a circle around Earth.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Ptolemy's model of the solar system placed Earth at the center, and the deferent is a circular path centered on Earth along which the center of a planet's epicycle moves. This model was part of the geocentric view of the universe.

In Ptolemy's Description of the Solar System, the Deferent Is