The allowed shapes for orbits under the force of gravity are
A)ellipses and spirals.
B)ellipses, parabolas, and hyperbolas.
C)spirals, circles, and squares.
D)ellipses only.
E)ellipses, spirals, and parabolas.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The allowed shapes for orbits under the force of gravity, according to Kepler's laws and Newton's law of universal gravitation, are ellipses, parabolas, and hyperbolas. These shapes are determined by the energy and angular momentum of the orbiting body relative to the body it is orbiting. Ellipses represent bound orbits, parabolas represent the boundary between bound and unbound orbits (escape velocity), and hyperbolas represent unbound orbits.

The Allowed Shapes for Orbits Under the Force of Gravity