A planet is moving around the Sun in an elliptical orbit. Its speed is

Same at all points of the orbit

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Maximum when it is nearest to sun

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Maximum when it is farthest from the sun

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Cannot say

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Solution

The correct option is B Maximum when it is nearest to sun
According to kepler’s second law of planetary motion, the line joining a planet to the sun sweeps out equal areas in equal intervals of time as shown in the figure.

$C:\Users\AEPL\Downloads\9.9.png$

Area ASB = Area CDS = a

The time taken by the planet to travel from point A to B is equal to the time taken by the planet to travel from point C to D.

Now, arc AB > arc CD

Thus, the speed of the planet while moving from point A to B is greater than that while moving from point C to D.

Therefore, the planet moves with maximum speed when it is nearest to the Sun.

Hence, the correct answer is option (b).

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