Kepler's second law implies that
A) a planet should move at its greatest speed when it is closest to the sun.
B) the most massive planets will have the greatest speed in their orbits.
C) the speed of a planet in its orbit depends on the size of the epicycle.
D) the mass of the planet determines how far the planet is from the sun.
E) the deferent and the epicycle have to be attached to the sun and not Earth.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Kepler's second law, also known as the law of equal areas, states that a planet will sweep out equal areas in equal times in its elliptical orbit. In other words, when a planet is closer to the sun, it will move faster in order to cover the same amount of area as when it is farther away. Therefore, a planet should move at its greatest speed when it is closest to the sun.

Kepler's Second Law Implies That