An object is in an orbit caused by its gravitational attraction to the Sun. This orbit
A) must be an ellipse.
B) must be a parabola.
C) must be a hyperbola.
D) might be an ellipse, a parabola, or a hyperbola.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

According to Kepler's first law, an object in orbit around the Sun follows an elliptical path with the Sun at one of the foci. However, depending on the energy and dynamics of the object, its orbit can also be parabolic or hyperbolic. Elliptical orbits are closed and bound, while parabolic and hyperbolic orbits are open and unbound, typically associated with objects just passing through the solar system.

An Object Is in an Orbit Caused by Its Gravitational