206k views
1 vote
Compare the two figures and explain the difference between Copernicus' idea of the solar system and Ptolemy's.

Compare the two figures and explain the difference between Copernicus' idea of the-example-1
User Lam
by
8.8k points

2 Answers

6 votes

Final answer:

The difference between Copernicus' idea of the solar system and Ptolemy's is the position of the Sun and the explanation of planetary motion.

Step-by-step explanation:

Copernicus' idea of the solar system differed from Ptolemy's in terms of the position of the Sun and the explanation of planetary motion. Ptolemy's model, known as the Ptolemaic model, placed Earth at the center of the universe with the Moon, planets, Sun, and stars revolving around it in complex circular paths. It was purely descriptive and lacked an understanding of the causes of these motions. On the other hand, Copernicus proposed a heliocentric model where the Sun was at the center of the solar system. This model was simpler and more accurate, explaining planetary motion using a small number of laws of physics, including Newton's universal law of gravitation.

User Jkrist
by
7.3k points
4 votes
the difference is that the two different people had a different idea of where the planets were located. Ptolemy's cosmology was that the earth was in the center of the universe and everything else orbited it. while our most recent solar system is copernicus's cosmology which is the sun is in the center of the solar system and everything else orbits around it. i hope this helps
User Abpetkov
by
8.3k points