Section 001, Group 5

Here are the questions for Copernicus. Nicolas Copernicus developed a new cosmic model that more accurately described the motions of the solar system. Because he did not want to be convicted of heresy, Copernicus merely brought out these ideas as simple speculations and said that even he himself did not believe in them, even though he actually did.

Factual: What was the major scientific contribution that Copernicus brought to cosmology?

A) He said that the planets circle the sun in ellipses
B) He said that the planets circle the sun in perfect circles, contradictory to the prior notion that everything in the universe circled the Earth instead
C) He developed a more accurate, yearly calendar that was based on the motions of the Sun and Earth
D) He said that the planets circle around the sun.
E) Copernicus was the first to introduce the concept that the universe was held in together by gravity.

Discussion: In what ways did Copernicus pave the way for more scientific observations, such as those made by Galileo and Isaac Newton?

(Ps. Did you know that Galileo NEVER dropped objects from the top of the Tower of Pisa? This is a very popular misconception. As an aside, Cinderella's slipper was never glass... it was made of fur. Cool, eh?)