Final answer:
The shape that best describes the Earth's orbit around the Sun is an ellipse. An ellipse is a closed curve in which the sum of the distances from any point on the curve to the two foci is constant.
Step-by-step explanation:
The shape that best describes the Earth's orbit around the Sun is b. Ellipse. An ellipse is a closed curve in which the sum of the distances from any point on the curve to the two foci is constant. The orbit of the Earth around the Sun is very close to a circle but is slightly elliptical. This means that the distance between the Earth and the Sun varies slightly throughout the year.
Kepler's first law of planetary motion states that the planets orbit the Sun in elliptical paths, with the Sun at one focus of the ellipse. This means that the Earth's orbit is not a perfect circle, but rather an elliptical shape.
Understanding the shape of the Earth's orbit is important in studying the seasons and the variation in temperature and sunlight throughout the year.