The Reason Copernicus's Heliocentric Theory Soon Came to Be Regarded

question 338

Multiple Choice

The reason Copernicus's heliocentric theory soon came to be regarded as preferable to the geocentric theory of Ptolemy is that the heliocentric theory accounted for

• A) the observed motions of the planets using complex constructions called epicycles and deferents, so it was considered more reliable than the geocentric theory.
• B) the same observed motions of the planets as the geocentric theory but did so in a much simpler way.
• C) retrograde motion, which the geocentric theory was unable to explain.
• D) the same observed motions of the planets as the geocentric theory but did so much more accurately.