According to Kepler's 2nd law, a planet
A) has an elliptical orbit.
B) travels fastest when it is closest to the Sun.
C) travels fastest when it is farthest from the Sun.
D) has a period whose square is the same as the cube of its distance.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Kepler's 2nd law, also known as the law of equal areas, states that a line segment joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time. This means that a planet moves faster when it is closer to the Sun (perihelion) and slower when it is farther from the Sun (aphelion), making choice B correct.

According to Kepler's 2nd Law, a Planet