7
QuizMultiple Choice

The Solar System

Question 7 • AZ-Earth and Space Science A (SC301)

Which idea did Ptolemy’s model use to explain why the planets appeared to move backward as they moved in their orbits?

Answer
A
The planets spun in epicycles.
B
The planets rotated on their axes.
C
The planets revolved around the Sun.
D
The planets were made of different materials.

Explanation

Ptolemy explained the planets’ apparent backward motion, called retrograde motion, by proposing that each planet moved in a small circle called an epicycle while also traveling along a larger circle around Earth. This made a planet appear to reverse direction from time to time. The correct choice is “The planets spun in epicycles.”

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.

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