Question

Kepler’s second law explains that the slowest point of a planet’s orbit is always when it is:

a) Closest to the sun
b) Farthest from the sun
c) Moving fastest
d) Stationary

Answer 1

Kepler's second law indicates that the slowest point in a planet's orbit is when it is farthest from the sun, known as the aphelion.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to Kepler's second law, which pertains to the orbital speed of planets moving around the sun, a planet will move more slowly when it is farthest from the sun. This is described by the law that states that the line segment joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time, leading to the planet moving fastest when it is at the perihelion (closest point to the sun) and slowest at the aphelion (farthest point from the sun).

Therefore, the slowest point of a planet's orbit is always when it is farthest from the sun. Further broadening this understanding, the concept applies to the movement of satellites around their parent body; they, too, increase their speed as they approach and decrease their speed as they depart.