Suppose the distance between the two foci of an ellipse is much smaller than the semimajor axis of the ellipse.What can be said about the ellipse?
A)A planet orbiting on that ellipse would have a short orbital period
B)The eccentricity of the ellipse is nearly zero
C)The ellipse is long and skinny
D)The foci are located far from the semimajor axis

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When the distance between the two foci of an ellipse is much smaller than the semimajor axis of the ellipse, the eccentricity of the ellipse is nearly zero. This means that the ellipse is almost circular, with the two foci located close to the center. As a result, a planet orbiting on that ellipse would have a relatively long orbital period, not a short one. The ellipse is also not necessarily long and skinny, and the foci are not necessarily located far from the semimajor axis.

Suppose the Distance Between the Two Foci of an Ellipse