How did the Ptolemaic model explain the apparent retrograde motion of the planets?
A) The planets moved along small circles that moved on larger circles around the Earth.
B) The planets sometimes stopped moving and then reversed to move backward along their circular orbits.
C) The model showed that apparent retrograde motion occurs as Earth passes by another planet in its orbit of the Sun.
D) The planets resided on giant spheres that sometimes turned clockwise and sometimes turned counterclockwise.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Ptolemaic model explained the apparent retrograde motion of the planets by proposing that the planets moved along small circles called epicycles, which themselves moved on larger circles called deferents around the Earth. This system of circles accounted for the observed changing speeds and directions of the planets as they moved across the sky.

How Did the Ptolemaic Model Explain the Apparent Retrograde Motion