Dewayne reviews Kepler's laws by making the table shown.
| Kepler's Law | Description |
|---|---|
| W | The orbital period is related to the average distance from the Sun. |
| X | Orbits are ellipses with the Sun at a focus. |
| Y | A planet sweeps out equal areas in equal time frames as it orbits the Sun. |
Which label belongs in each cell of the table?
W: First
X : Second
Y: Third
W: Third
X : Second
Y: First
W: Third
Answer (2)
Kepler's First Law describes elliptical orbits.
Kepler's Second Law relates to equal areas swept out in equal times.
Kepler's Third Law connects orbital period and distance.
Therefore, the correct order is W: Third, X: First, Y: Second.
Explanation
Matching Descriptions with Kepler's Laws Let's analyze the descriptions in the table to match them with Kepler's Laws.
W : "The orbital period is related to the average distance from the Sun." This corresponds to Kepler's Third Law, which states that the square of the orbital period of a planet is proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of its orbit (which is related to the average distance).
X : "Orbits are ellipses with the Sun at a focus." This is Kepler's First Law, which describes that planets move in elliptical orbits with the Sun at one focus.
Y : "A planet sweeps out equal areas in equal time frames as it orbits the Sun." This is Kepler's Second Law, which states that a line segment joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time.
Determining the Correct Order Based on the analysis above:
W corresponds to the Third Law.
X corresponds to the First Law.
Y corresponds to the Second Law.
Final Answer Therefore, the correct matching is:
W: Third X: First Y: Second
Examples
Kepler's laws are fundamental in understanding the motion of planets and satellites. For example, when planning a satellite's orbit around Earth, engineers use Kepler's Third Law to determine the satellite's orbital period based on its average distance from Earth. Similarly, Kepler's First Law helps to predict the shape of the orbit, ensuring the satellite maintains a stable path. Kepler's Second Law is crucial for understanding how the satellite's speed varies along its orbit, allowing for precise timing of data transmission and other operations.
W corresponds to Kepler's Third Law, X to the First Law, and Y to the Second Law. Therefore, the correct order is W: Third, X: First, Y: Second.
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