Question

question 12
1 pts
true or false: the earth moves in an elliptical path around the sun. the earths speed at perihelion when it is closest to the sun is equal to its speed at aphelion when it is farthest from the sun.
true
false
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Explanation:

According to Kepler's second law (the law of equal areas), a planet sweeps out equal areas in equal time intervals as it orbits the Sun. Since the distance from the Sun at perihelion ($r_{peri}$) is less than the distance at aphelion ($r_{aphe}$), and the area swept $dA=\frac{1}{2}r\times (vdt)$ (where $v$ is the orbital speed and $dt$ is a small time - interval), for $dA$ to be the same in a given $dt$, when $r$ is smaller (at perihelion), $v$ must be larger. So the speed at perihelion is not equal to the speed at aphelion.

Answer:

False