Responses
The orbital period is proportional to the square of the semi-major axis.
The orbital period is proportional to the square of the semi-major axis.
The square of orbital period is proportional to the semi-major axis.
The square of orbital period is proportional to the semi-major axis.
The cube of orbital period is proportional to the square of the semi-major axis.
The cube of orbital period is proportional to the square of the semi-major axis.
The square of orbital period is proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis.
1 answer
The correct statement that describes Kepler’s third law of orbital motion is:
The square of the orbital period is proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis.
This means that if you square the orbital period of a planet (T²), it will be proportional to the cube of the semi-major axis of its orbit (a³). In mathematical terms:
\[ T^2 \propto a^3 \]
where T is the orbital period and a is the semi-major axis.
