According to Kepler's Second Law, what happens to a planet's speed relative to its distance from the sun?

According to Kepler's Second Law, also known as the Law of Equal Areas, a planet moves faster when it is closer to the sun. This law states that the line segment joining a planet to the sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time. This means that if a planet is nearer to the sun in its orbit (at perihelion), it must travel a shorter distance in the same time period compared to when it is farther away (at aphelion). As a result, the planet must increase its speed to cover the larger area swept out when it is closer to the sun, resulting in a faster orbital speed near perihelion.

Understanding this relationship helps clarify the dynamics of a planet's motion in its elliptical orbit, demonstrating how gravitational forces and orbital mechanics work together.