Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion states that a planet will orbit on a(n) _____ with the Sun located at _____.

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The question asks about Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion, specifically the shape of a planet's orbit and the Sun's position within it.
Option 1: "ovoid, the center of mass" is incorrect because planetary orbits are not described as ovoid shapes, nor is the Sun treated as the center of mass in the sense implied here. Kepler’s law identifies a true conic section (ellipse) with the Sun at a focal point, not a general ovoid around the center of mass.
Option 2: "ellipse, the center" is closer but still wrong, since while an ellipse is correct, the Sun is not located at the geometric center of the ellipse. In elliptical orbits, the Sun sits at one of the two foci, not at the center.
Option 3: "ellipse, one focus" is correct. The orbital path is an ellipse, and the Sun resides at one of the ellipse's foci, which is a key aspect of Kepler’s First Law.
Option 4: "epicycle, an equant" describes models from Ptolemaic or early mechanisms that predate Kepler and do not reflect the actual path of planets under heliocentric physics. Epicycles and the concept of an equant are not part of Kepler’s description of planetary motion.
Option 5: "circle, one edge" is incorrect because orbits are not constrained to a circle with the Sun at a boundary point; the true orbit for many planets is an ellipse with the Sun at a focus, not a circle or any structure involving an edge labeled as an edge.
In summary, the only option that accurately matches Kepler’s First Law is the ellipse with the Sun at one focus, while the other choices either misidentify the shape, the Sun’s location, or both, reflecting common misconceptions about planetary motion.

ASTRON 2140 AU2025 (23428) Quiz 1 - 2025 Sep 19

Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion states that a planet will orbit on a(n) _ with the Sun located at _.

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