Question

Which statement describes the speed of a planet traveling in an elliptical orbit around the Sun?. . A. The speed is constant. . B. The speed varies, but not with respect to its distance from the Sun. . C. The speed is slowest when it is farthest away from the Sun. . D. The speed varies

Answer 1

C. The speed is slowest when it is farthest away from the Sun

Step-by-step explanation:

This fact is well explained by Kepler's second law of planetary motion, which states that:

"A line joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time"

This means that this line connecting the planet and the Sun must go slower when the planet is farther from the Sun (because the line is larger, so it can cover more area in the same time). So, the speed of the planet is slower when the planet is farther from the Sun.

Answer 2

When revolving around the Sun, the planet's speed varies and it is slowest when it is farthest. This is because the force between two attracting bodies is indirectly varied with the square of the distance between them. Thus, the decrease is speed. Therefore, the answer is letter C.