How Did Copernicus Know Mercury Was Closer to the Sun

question 234

Multiple Choice

How did Copernicus know Mercury was closer to the Sun than Earth is?

• A) Mercury can always be seen relatively close to the Sun.
• B) He measured Mercury's orbital period and used Kepler's third law.
• C) Mercury was sometimes seen to pass behind the Sun.
• D) Mercury can be high in the sky at midnight.

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Definitions:

Craters

Bowl-shaped depressions on the surface of planets, moons, and other celestial bodies, typically formed by impacts or volcanic activity.

Tectonically Active

Describing regions where the Earth's tectonic plates meet and interact, causing earthquakes, volcanic activity, and mountain building.

Supports Life

The capacity of an environment or planet to provide suitable conditions and necessary resources for living organisms to survive and reproduce.

Generates Heat

The process of transforming energy into heat, which can occur through various means such as chemical reactions, electrical resistance, or nuclear reactions.