Earth's Orbital Path and Related Facts

Steps:

• Recall Kepler's first law: planets follow elliptical orbits with the Sun at one focus.
• Evaluate option A: orbital speed formula is $v = \frac{2\pi r}{T}$, where $r$ is radius and $T$ is period; statement misstates diameter and phrasing.
• Evaluate option C: Moon orbits Earth in ~27.3 days, not the Sun; its solar orbit matches Earth's year.
• Evaluate option D: Moon's distance is ~384,000 km; light travel time is $\frac{384,000}{3 \times 10^5} \approx 1.3$ seconds.

Why B is correct:

• Kepler's first law states planetary orbits are ellipses, directly applying to Earth's path around the Sun.

Why the others are wrong:

• A: Incorrect formula; speed uses radius, not diameter, and phrasing is erroneous.
• C: Moon orbits Earth monthly, not the Sun.
• D: Light from Moon takes ~1.3 seconds, not 5 minutes.

Final answer: B