The orbit of planet A has an eccentricity of 0.5 and the orbit of planet B has an eccentricity of 0.01. What can be said about the shape of the orbits of these two planets?
A) Planet A has a nearly circular orbit.
B) The orbit of planet A is more elongated than the orbit of planet B.
C) The orbit of planet B is more elongated than the orbit of planet A.
D) There is not enough information to say anything meaningful about the shape of either orbit.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eccentricity measures how much an orbit deviates from being circular, with 0 being a perfect circle and values approaching 1 being more elongated. Therefore, an eccentricity of 0.5 indicates a more elongated orbit than an eccentricity of 0.01, making planet A's orbit more elongated than planet B's.

The Orbit of Planet a Has an Eccentricity of 0