Which of these orbital elements determines the shape of the conic orbit?

A)
Eccentricity
B)
Inclination
C)
Semi-major axis
D)
Argument of periapsis

Correct Answer :   Eccentricity


Explanation : Eccentricity helps in determining the shape of the conic orbit. It is defined as the ratio of half the foci separation to the semi-major axis. For closed orbit, eccentricity ranges from 0 to 1 and for open orbits it is greater than 1.