Correct Answer: Correct answer is: (C) Faster, closer.
Exam Relevance: Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Civil Services Examination (CSE), UPSC
Difficulty: Moderate
Concept notes: Kepler's second law of planetary motion, also known as the law of areas, states that a line segment joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time. This implies that the planet moves faster when it is closer to the Sun and slower when it is farther away.
Common Mistakes: Students often confuse the relationship between the planet's speed and its distance from the Sun, thinking that the planet moves slower when it is closer to the Sun.
Explanations: Kepler's second law implies that the planet's velocity is inversely proportional to its distance from the Sun. When the planet is closer to the Sun, the gravitational force is stronger, causing the planet to move faster. Conversely, when the planet is farther from the Sun, the gravitational force is weaker, causing the planet to move slower. Therefore, the planet moves faster when it is closer to the Sun.
Option Analysis: - Option A: Incorrect. The planet moves slower when it is farther from the Sun, not closer.
- Option B: Incorrect. The planet moves faster when it is closer to the Sun, not farther.
- Option C: Correct. The planet moves faster when it is closer to the Sun.
- Option D: Incorrect. The correct answer is provided in option C.
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