Student Exploration: Orbital Motion – Kepler’s LawsStudent Exploration: Orbital Motion – Kepler’s Laws
Vocabulary: astronomical unit, eccentricity, ellipse, force, gravity, Kepler’s first law, Kepler’s
second law, Kepl
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Student Exploration: Orbital Motion – Kepler’s LawsStudent Exploration: Orbital Motion – Kepler’s Laws
Vocabulary: astronomical unit, eccentricity, ellipse, force, gravity, Kepler’s first law, Kepler’s
second law, Kepler’s third law, orbit, orbital radius, period, vector, velocity
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
1. The orbit of Halley’s Comet, shown at right, has an oval
shape. In which part of its orbit do you think Halley’s
Comet travels fastest? Slowest? Mark these points on
the diagram at right.
2. How might a collision between Neptune and Halley’s
Comet affect Neptune’s orbit?
It will run it off its course.
Gizmo Warm-up
The path of each planet around the Sun is determined by
two factors: its current velocity (speed and direction) and
the force of gravity on the planet. You can manipulate both
of these factors as you investigate planetary orbits in the
Orbital Motion – Kepler’s Laws Gizmo™.
On the CONTROLS pane of the Gizmo, turn on Show trails
and check that Show vectors is on. Click Play ( ).
1. What is the shape of the planet’s orbit? A circle
2. Watch the orbit over time. Does the orbit ever change, or is it stable? The orbit is stable
3. Click Reset ( ). Drag the tip of the purple arrow to shorten it and reduce the planet’s
initial velocity. Click Play. How does this affect the shape of the orbit?
It is now really smaller and its more in the shape of a oval
Activity A:
Shape of orbits
Get the Gizmo ready:
Click Reset.
Turn on Show grid.
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