If we compare Kepler's and Newton's descriptions of planetary motion, an important difference is that

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Contextualizing the debate between Kepler and Newton helps us see what each contributed to planetary motion.
Option 1: 'Kepler described how planets move; Newton explained why' is the accurate pairing of their roles. Kepler formulated empirical laws describing the motion of planets (elliptical orbits, equal areas in equal times), i.e., the descriptive behavior. Newton later provided the underlying reason with his universal law of gravitation and the laws of motion, explaining why the planets move as Kepler observed.
Option 2: 'Kepler's laws don't work for planets far from the Sun.' This is a misconception. Kepler’s laws describe orbital shapes and timing that apply across a wide range of planetary distances, and Newton’s theory provides the deeper justification, not a failure of Kepler’s observations.
Option 3: 'Newton's laws don't work for planets far from the Sun.' In fact, Newtonian gravity is the framework that explains planetary motion at all distances (within the regime where gravity governs motion); saying they don’t work would be incorrect and dismissive of Newton’s unifying role.
Option 4: 'Newton described how planets move; Kepler explained why' reverses the historical roles. Newton did not primarily describe the detailed motion (the shapes and timing) as Kepler did; rather, he provided the mechanisms, so this inversion misstates their contributions.
Option 5: 'Kepler's laws are more accurate than Newton's laws.' This mischaracterizes the relationship: Newton’s laws underpin and generalize Kepler’s empirical findings, offering a deeper, more general explanation; calling one more accurate ignores the complementary nature of the two.
In summary, the correct interpretation is that Kepler empirically described how planets move, while Newton provided the underlying why by formulating gravitation and the laws of motion that explain those motions.

ASTRON 2140 AU2025 (23428) Quiz 2 - 2025 Oct 10

If we compare Kepler's and Newton's descriptions of planetary motion, an important difference is that

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