If the orbit of Mercury were perfectly circular,its rate of precession would be
A)larger than it is now.
B)smaller than it is now.
C)the same as it is now.
D)zero.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The rate of precession is caused by the ellipticity of the orbit, with the gravitational pull of other planets causing a torque on Mercury's orbit. If the orbit were perfectly circular, there would be no ellipticity and thus no torque, resulting in a precession rate of zero.

If the Orbit of Mercury Were Perfectly Circular,its Rate of Precession