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Eccentricity is a mathematical concept commonly used in a combination of mathematics and physics, particularly in orbital mechanics and geometry. In geometry, it's a measure of how much a conic section deviates from being a perfect circle. It is symbolically represented by the letter 'e'. In terms of equations, the eccentricity of a conic section is the ratio of the distance from any point on the conic section to its focus, to the distance from that point to its directrix.

Dependent on the value of the eccentricity, we can classify conic sections into four categories:1. Circle: The eccentricity \(e\) is equal to 0. This indicates a perfect circle where every point on the circumference is an equal distance from the center.2. Ellipse: The eccentricity \(e\) is greater than 0 but less than 1. An ellipse is essentially a flattened circle, where the foci are located internal to the shape.3. Parabola: The eccentricity \(e\) equals 1. A parabola is an open shape that can extend infinitely in two directions. It has one focus and one direction.4. Hyperbola: The eccentricity \(e\) is greater than 1. A hyperbola consists of two distinct and mirror-imaged sections. Each section, known as a lobe, has its own focus.