Kepler's 2nd Law: Area & Motion

Thread starter uppaladhadium
Start date Sep 17, 2011
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In summary, Kepler's 2nd law, also known as the law of equal areas, states that the line connecting a planet to the sun sweeps out equal areas in equal time intervals. This law helps to describe the motion of planets by showing that they do not move at a constant speed in their elliptical orbits. It is significant because it provides evidence for the heliocentric model of the solar system and led to the discovery of the concept of angular momentum. Kepler's 2nd law was discovered by Johannes Kepler in the early 17th century, and it can be applied to any system where one body orbits around another, including planetary systems, moons, satellites, and binary star systems.

Sep 17, 2011

uppaladhadium

In Kepler's laws ;what is the area mentioned about, in the second law?

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Sep 17, 2011

grzz

just write 'Kepler's 2nd law' in Google!
Very good diagrams and animations!

1. What is Kepler's 2nd law?

Kepler's 2nd law, also known as the law of equal areas, states that the line connecting a planet to the sun sweeps out equal areas in equal time intervals.

2. How does Kepler's 2nd law relate to the motion of planets?

Kepler's 2nd law helps to describe the motion of planets by showing that they do not move at a constant speed in their elliptical orbits. Instead, they move faster when closer to the sun and slower when farther away, resulting in equal areas being swept out in equal time intervals.

3. What is the significance of Kepler's 2nd law?

Kepler's 2nd law is significant because it helps to explain the shape and motion of planetary orbits, providing evidence for the heliocentric model of the solar system. It also led to the discovery of the concept of angular momentum, which is important in understanding the dynamics of our solar system and beyond.

4. How was Kepler's 2nd law discovered?

Kepler's 2nd law was discovered by German astronomer Johannes Kepler in the early 17th century. He studied the observations of his mentor, Tycho Brahe, and used his own mathematical skills to analyze the data and develop his three laws of planetary motion.

5. Can Kepler's 2nd law be applied to other systems besides our solar system?

Yes, Kepler's 2nd law can be applied to any system where one body orbits around another. This includes not only planetary systems, but also moons orbiting around planets, satellites orbiting around Earth, and even stars orbiting around each other in binary star systems.