According to what we now know from Newton's laws,which of the following best explains why Kepler's second law is true?
A)A planet's angular momentum must be conserved as it moves around its orbit.
B)Orbits must be elliptical in shape.
C)Gravity is an inverse cube law.
D)This effect happens because of the influence of other planets on a particular planet's orbit.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Kepler's second law, which states that a planet will travel faster in its orbit when it is closer to the sun and slower when it is farther away, can be explained by the conservation of angular momentum, which is a consequence of Newton's laws. As the planet moves closer to the sun, its velocity must increase in order to compensate for the decrease in its distance from the sun, so that its angular momentum remains constant. Similarly, as the planet moves further away from the sun, its velocity must decrease to maintain its constant angular momentum.

According to What We Now Know from Newton's Laws,which of the Following