What did Isaac Newton provide that explained the underlying physical cause for elliptical orbits described by Kepler?
Answer
The law of universal gravitation, linking orbital shape to inverse square force.
While Johannes Kepler meticulously observed and described the mathematical pattern of planetary motion—the 'how'—Isaac Newton later provided the comprehensive physical explanation, the 'why,' through his law of universal gravitation. Newton demonstrated that any attractive force obeying the inverse square law of distance (where force is proportional to $1/r^2$) mathematically necessitates that the orbits traced by the orbiting bodies must be conic sections. Since the planets are gravitationally bound to the Sun, their paths must be closed curves, forcing them into the shape of an ellipse.
#Videos
Why Are Planetary Orbits Elliptical? - YouTube
Related Questions
Where is the Sun located according to Kepler's First Law of Planetary Motion regarding the ellipse?What term quantifies the degree to which a planet's orbit deviates from being a perfect circle?What path shape results if a celestial object's eccentricity ($e$) is 1 or greater?What is defined as the longest radius of an ellipse, representing half its longest diameter?What term describes the point in an orbit where a planet moves at its maximum orbital velocity?What is the name given to the farthest point a planet reaches from the Sun during its revolution, where its speed is minimum?Which physical conservation law necessitates the variation in planetary speed between perihelion and aphelion?What orbital parameter, approximately 0.205 for Mercury, results in the highest eccentricity among major solar system planets?What did Isaac Newton provide that explained the underlying physical cause for elliptical orbits described by Kepler?How is an ellipse mathematically defined based on the sum of distances relative to its two fixed points?How do the orbital eccentricities of typical comets compare to those of major planets like Earth in terms of path stretching?