Question

Which statements did both Aristotle and Ptolemy assume? Select two options.

A) The Earth is at the center of the universe.
B) Planets move in elliptical orbits.
C) Celestial bodies are composed of aether.
D) Gravity is the force responsible for planetary motion.

Answer 1

Aristotle and Ptolemy both assumed that the Earth is at the center of the universe, and that celestial bodies are composed of aether, in their astronomical theories.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statements that both Aristotle and Ptolemy assumed, according to historical astronomical models, are:

• A) The Earth is at the center of the universe. Both Aristotle and Ptolemy's models were geocentric, meaning they believed Earth was the stationary center around which all celestial bodies revolved.
• C) Celestial bodies are composed of aether. The idea that celestial bodies are made of a unique substance called 'aether' was a common belief in ancient astronomy, shared by both scholars.

Contrastingly, Aristotle and Ptolemy did not propose that planets move in elliptical orbits or that gravity was the force responsible for planetary motion. Those concepts were developed later by Johannes Kepler and Isaac Newton, respectively.