The Copernican system was no more accurate than the Ptolemaic system in predicting the positions of the planets because ___________just as in the Ptolemaic system.
A)the Copernican system assumed the Earth was at rest at the center
B)the Copernican system used elliptical planetary orbits
C)the Copernican system used uniform circular motion
D)the Copernican system assumed all planets orbited the Sun

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Copernican system, while correctly placing the Sun at the center of the solar system (contrary to the Earth-centered Ptolemaic system), still used the concept of uniform circular motion for the planets, similar to the Ptolemaic system. This assumption limited its accuracy in predicting planetary positions, as it did not account for the elliptical nature of orbits, which was later described by Johannes Kepler.

The Copernican System Was No More Accurate Than the Ptolemaic